


What Happens In Vegas

by flutterby_cupcake_26



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel and Emmanuel are twins, Community: deancasbigbang, Cross country love, Dead John Winchester, Dean and Sam have lots of siblings, Dean is a pseudo-parent, Dean/Cas Big Bang Challenge, Dean/Cas Big Bang Challenge 2017, Drunken Shenanigans, Fluff and Humor, Getting to Know Each Other, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Wedding, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, One smut scene (sorry!)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-08
Updated: 2017-11-08
Packaged: 2019-01-30 20:21:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 28,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12660729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flutterby_cupcake_26/pseuds/flutterby_cupcake_26
Summary: Castiel was on vacation with his brothers.Dean just needed a break from helping his mother raise all his half-siblings.Vegas seemed like the perfect place to go: bright lights, endless slot machines, free flowing alcohol and a new attraction around every corner.One night of indulging later, Dean and Castiel have a big decision to make. Do they let what happened in Vegas stay in Vegas?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cliophilyra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cliophilyra/gifts), [GoodQuestion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoodQuestion/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My contribution to this year's DCBB is finally posted! Thank you so much as ever to my friend Cliophilyra for betaing as ever, and also to Janessa who also beta'd this story.
> 
> The amazing artwork is by Good Question and you can find her artwork at [Tumblr](http://goodquestionharlie.tumblr.com/post/167266955563/title-what-happens-in-vegas-author)  
> GQ - thank you so much for your wonderful pieces! I can't believe how much you've had going on and you still worked your butt off on this. It's been great working with you this year xxx
> 
> Happy reading!

Castiel had only been in Las Vegas with his brothers for two days, but already he was used to the constant trill of the slot machines and the melodic click of coins tumbling out, the Muzak that blared overhead to create an ambience, and the calls of different tables as people placed their bets. He was also used to the constant stream of alcohol - all free - and regularly losing his brothers in amongst the other tourists.

 

The night started out as it had the other days of their visit. They convened in the lobby of their hotel-and-casino and debated what they wanted to do. Emmanuel would suggest some new show he had come across, or a medium he had a good feeling about. Gabriel would merely raise his eyebrows suggestively as though he could make Castiel think the worst without saying a word. More often than not, they would end up hashing it out over dinner and far too much alcohol, which had the effect of making Gabriel’s suggestions seem not only plausible, but also fun. So far, they had gone to a drag show, taken turns with a medium for Emmanuel’s benefit (Emmanuel had left muttering about frauds and how he did a much better job), spent a thousand dollars of hard-earned money on a roulette table, and ended up dancing with an Elvis down the main strip.

 

This time, they were still in the restaurant, Emmanuel and Castiel suffering Gabriel adorning their hair with cocktail umbrellas and flowers from nearby displays as they ate, drank, and talked.

 

“You two look identical now!” Gabriel crowed as he finished Emmanuel’s look with a flourish. Emmanuel and Castiel exchanged the same exasperated look.

 

“We’re twins,” Emmanuel reminded him. “Mirror twins, you know that.”

 

“Why do you always have to be a killjoy, Manny?”

 

“Why must you always be so juvenile, Gabriel? It can be awfully wearing.” Emmanuel began plucking items out of his neatly brushed hair. Castiel left his flowers and umbrellas in. Though he wasn’t as enthusiastic as his older brother, he liked their whimsical element. And besides, they were in Vegas; no one was going to take any notice of them unless they stripped off and only wore cocktail umbrellas. Although, he supposed, if they placed the umbrellas strategically into their pubic hair, they might still have gotten away with it.

 

Castiel shook his head to dispel the thought. He did not need to encourage Gabriel, and he knew the thought had only occurred because they had been drinking.

 

A cocktail waitress came by, and Gabriel signaled to her, talking quietly so that Castiel and Emmanuel couldn’t hear. Emmanuel was folding his napkin, creating some origami. Castiel knew what he was thinking; that he wanted to be curled up in his room with a good book, maybe some cocoa, and get away from all the neon lights and bustle of the crowds. Castiel tried to come up with a good compromise that would mean Emmanuel would leave the hotel again, and Gabriel could release some pent up energy.

 

“Perhaps we could watch the Bellagio fountains? I’ve seen videos before but they probably don’t do justice to the real thing. And then maybe Cirque du Soleil?”

 

“Perhaps.” Emmanuel shrugged, focused on his origami napkin.

 

“Manny, what’s up?”

 

“I’m exhausted, Cassie. Keeping up with Gabe is not for the faint-hearted. I’m just hoping he’ll either flirt with our waitress so much he’ll forget about us or else he’ll get so abysmally drunk that we can slope off and have a more low-key evening.”

 

Emmanuel was definitely thinking about the book in his room that was going unread. Gabriel turned back to them with a glint in his eyes.

 

“Did you get her number?” Castiel asked. Gabriel blew a dismissive raspberry.

 

“Of course, little bro.” He preened, and looked at their glasses. “Manny, drink up!”

 

Emmanuel sighed heavily, and ate one of the last few fries on his plate. Gabriel caught Castiel’s eye and rolled his own dramatically. Castiel merely sipped his drink and tried not to get involved in his brothers butting heads.

 

A few moments later, the waitress appeared again, making flirty faces at Gabriel as she carried a tray laden with more drinks. She took her time placing them in front of the three of them, making sure that Gabriel had a good view of her cleavage. Castiel looked at the drinks in distaste.

 

Jägerbombs.

 

The last time Gabriel had the amazing idea to drink Jägerbombs, they had found themselves in Canada in the morning. The time before that, Castiel woke up in the back yard, completely naked except for the bearskin rug laid over him. Jägerbombs had ruined some poignant moments, but Gabriel still loved them. Emmanuel was silent, which struck Castiel as odd because he would be the first one to try to avoid the Jägerbomb ritual. But then he turned, and saw that his own twin had ditched out, leaving his cocktail umbrellas and flowers on his otherwise empty plate. Gabriel looked around at the same time, the waitress leaving them to it, and made an exasperated sound.

 

“You’d think he hated us, sometimes.”

 

“Of course he doesn’t. He just likes a quiet life.”

 

Gabriel pushed a glass towards him.

 

“We’ll just have to share his.”

 

“Do we have to do Jägerbombs? I don’t want to wake up in the middle of the desert tomorrow with a buzzard picking out my insides.”

 

“Then stop insisting on going outside when you’re drinking. Cheers.” Gabriel held his glass up, and Castiel caved. He bumped his own glass against Gabriel’s, and then made himself chug the liquid, taking three mouthfuls to finish the thing. Gabriel gave a wicked smile.

 

“Number two?”

 

“Can we have some breathing time between them?”

 

“Cassie, we’re drinking. I thought you were the fun twin?”

 

He really had to stop caving so easily to Gabriel’s demands. But not tonight. Tonight, he was going to cut loose and have fun. After all, it was Vegas; they were on vacation … why not?

 

“Okay, count of three. One, two, three.”

 

They knocked back another. And another. There was a rushing sensation in Castiel’s head and his muscles felt both weighted and floating as the alcohol began to take effect. The lights seemed brighter around them, the colors of the decor and other patrons more vibrant, the music in the background flooded into his veins … this was why he always let Gabriel talk him into stuff like Jägerbombs; it felt good to be getting drunk.

 

They finished the drinks on the table, and stood up, Gabriel banging down a wad of dollar bills before they staggered out of the restaurant-and-bar, and headed towards the casino. Gabriel was soon joined by the waitress, and then Castiel lost track of him.

 

It was pleasant, being in the casino when drunk. The clicking of coins dropping, the wooden drag of the ball on the roulette wheel, the beeps of the slot machines all made a music of their own. Castiel ambled up to a blackjack table and took a recently vacated seat, pulling a few chips out of his pocket and sliding them forward. He was dealt a hand and he stared at the cards blearily, taking far too long to register that he had blackjack. He slapped his cards down triumphantly, and the dealer raised his eyebrows, pushing a pile of chips across the table. Castiel caught the eye of the gentleman next to him, and did a double take.

 

The guy was gorgeous. Drop dead beautiful. He was watching Castiel with a serious expression, but it hardly seemed like a glare when his luscious green eyes were framed by delicate eye lashes, his nose graced by a dusting of freckles, and those lips … oh, those lips!

 

“I get it, you like my mouth,” the stranger shook his head, a wry smile pulling at those very same full and delicious looking lips. It was entirely likely that Gabriel’s choice of drinks had lowered Castiel’s inhibitions enough that he was thinking out loud.

 

“I’m sorry. Have you seen you?” Castiel replied.

 

“When I’ve looked in the mirror. Do you have skill at this game or is it just beginner’s luck?”

 

“I think I’m mainly just very, very, very, very, very, very drunk.”

 

The stranger smiled and the dealer cleared his throat.

 

“Are you in?” He grouched. The stranger flipped a chip forward, and raised his eyebrows at Castiel, who pushed a few chips across the table.

 

“Let’s make it interesting,” Castiel decided, ignoring the dealer and the other players. “If I win another hand, you’ll spend the next hour with me.”

 

The stranger snorted.

 

“If you’re conscious that long.”

 

Castiel gave a winning grin, and looked at the cards he’d been dealt. Maybe it _was_ drunken luck, because again, he had blackjack. When everyone else had stuck or gone bust, he laid his cards out with a flourish. He received more chips, and smirked at the good-looking stranger.

 

“Looks like you’re mine,” Castiel declared. The stranger shrugged good-naturedly.

 

“Looks like it. Until you lose consciousness.”

 

“What if I’m awake all night?”

 

“You won’t be,” the stranger chuckled, and took Castiel by the elbow, leading him away. “Maybe we don’t gamble anymore though. It’s great to win when drinking, but you keep going and next thing you know, you’ll wake up broke and with a hangover.”

 

“Naked in the desert with buzzards pecking out my brains.”

 

“Naturally. I’m Dean.”

 

“Yes, you are.”

 

The stranger chuckled as they headed outside of the hotel-casino, and into the main strip where the lights blurred and gave a nice, fuzzy feeling.

 

“Do I get a name? Or are you just drunken-guy-with-cocktail-umbrellas-in-his-hair-who’s-hitting-on-me?”

 

“That’s a mouthful.”

 

“Tell me about it. So, name?”

 

“You said it was Dean.”

 

They were still walking, Dean holding him carefully as they weaved through crowds of chattering tourists.

 

“Yes, that’s my name. What’s yours?”

 

“Castiel.”

 

“You’re more wasted than I thought.”

 

Castiel stopped walking, wavering slightly where he stood. He pointed a finger at Dean, misjudging slightly and poking him in the nose.

 

“Studies have shown that no matter how inebriated we might become, we still remember basic facts about ourselves, and it is this ability to retain information such as addresses that means we can get back home after a night in the bar. So thank you, I know my name is stupid.”

 

He went to step forward, and lurched suddenly, the ground coming up to meet him in almost comical slow motion, until he stopped suddenly, inches away from the concrete.

 

“Whoa there. Come on, up you get.” Dean pulled him upright, and secured an arm around his waist. “So … Castiel?”

 

“Dean?”

 

Dean smiled, showing a set of perfectly straight, white teeth.

 

“What do you wanna do? Pass out? Or go have some fun?”

 

“Definitely have fun.”

 

“Okay. What do you wanna do? I mean, this is Vegas, we could literally do anything.”

 

Castiel stepped closer, pressing against Dean’s chest.

 

“Wanna kiss you,” he declared. A passerby whooped in their direction, and Dean smirked.

 

“Yes, I know. You were talking about my face in the casino.”

 

“Do you want to kiss me?” Castiel persisted, completely unabashed in his drunken state.

 

“If you stop shouting, maybe?” Dean told Castiel’s mouth. Castiel pressed forward and kissed him anyway, clinging onto his shirt as their mouths moved together slowly. Too slowly. Castiel tried to speed it up, tried to tug Dean’s shirt up, and Dean stepped back abruptly. “Dude, not in public. Not while you’re wasted. Let’s go get you some water.”

 

“I thought you said some fun?” Castiel retorted. “Oh, I know what we can do!”

 

He grabbed Dean’s hand and threaded their way through the crowds with a coordination that belied his drunken state. Dean kept asking where they were going, but Castiel didn’t want to be slowed down in his pursuit of the right hotel.

 

The amazing thing about Vegas was that every hotel had a gimmick, as well as the casinos. There was the circus hotel and the roller coaster and one that looked like Ancient Rome and another with a miniature Eiffel Tower and … there it was! Castiel sped up, and only stopped at the edge of the water.

 

“You’re a little crazy, you know that?” Dean panted.

 

“Gabriel gave me Jägerbombs,” Castiel told him.

 

“Right. That’s so Gabriel.”

 

“Exactly. Get in the boat.”

 

Dean sighed, and looked at the fake gondolier.

 

“Sorry dude.”

 

The gondolier shrugged, like he had seen worse than a drunken man with cocktail umbrellas in his hair demanding a ride around the fake canals of the Venetian.

 

“It’s ninety-six dollars. You gotta pay over there.” The gondolier gestured, and Castiel kissed Dean’s cheek softly.

 

“You guard our boat, I’ll go buy it.”

 

He danced off to the payment booth, and quickly paid for a two-person ride, then turned swiftly as a jolt of worry went through him that Dean would disappear. But no, Dean was where he had been left, watching Castiel with a faint smile on his face. Castiel picked his way carefully back to Dean, and produced their two tickets.

 

“Ta-da!”

 

Dean removed them gently from Castiel’s hand, and passed them over to the gondolier, who gestured for them to get into the boat. Dean stepped in, and then helped Castiel, who might have taken advantage of the situation to lean against such a beautiful man. Or perhaps he was as drunk as Dean had said. They settled down and the gondolier started to guide the boat through the hotel, as Castiel began to hum tunelessly. Dean began laughing next to him.

 

“Yes?” He inquired.

 

“I didn’t think I’d be serenaded in a gondola when I came to Vegas. Thought it would be more, you know, beer and gambling.”

 

“There’s champagne for you both to enjoy,” the gondolier said, and then began singing himself, far better than Castiel had managed. Castiel nuzzled against Dean’s neck, closing his eyes and embracing the moment.

 

“Thought you weren’t going to pass out?”

 

“I’m not. I’m just enjoying this date.”

 

“It’s a date now, is it?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“You don’t need any champagne,” Dean chuckled. Castiel sat up and reached for the champagne flutes, passing one over to Dean.

 

“We should toast this date!” He decided. Dean watched him with clear amusement, his eyebrows raised and lips pursed in a smile as he waited for Castiel’s next declaration. God, he was gorgeous. “Okay, to surprise meetings with people we just click with who have amazing lips.”

 

Dean’s smile grew, showing his teeth, and he clicked their glasses together. They drained their glasses, and Dean removed Castiel’s from his hand, before refilling his own glass. Castiel didn’t complain, he merely dropped his hand onto Dean’s knee, tucking his fingertips underneath.

 

“So,” Dean leaned closer this time. “What else do you have planned for this date?”

 

“It is a date, then?”

 

Dean smiled widely.

 

“It’s been a date since you told everyone I had freckles across my nose.”

 

Castiel kissed those very freckles before he answered.

 

“It’s Vegas, Dean! We don’t need to go to the movies or have a stilted meal. We can do anything!”


	2. Chapter 2

Dean came to too slowly, his head feeling heavy. Not quite a hangover, but close to it. He never got hangovers, but then, he wasn’t normally in Las Vegas, wasn’t normally accosted by attractive men who for some reason had flowers and cocktail umbrellas in their hair and introduced themselves by reeling off a glorification of his facial features.

 

The same attractive man who was beside him in bed.

 

Dean hadn’t been so drunk the night before that he couldn’t remember anything, but he had definitely been drunk enough to make some questionable decisions, decisions that came back to him as his sleep ebbed away.

 

But Castiel, he wasn’t a questionable decision at all. Perhaps they had acted rashly, overwhelmed by Vegas and copious amounts of alcohol and the drug-like euphoria that came from meeting someone who just made sense.

 

Castiel had been adorable. Dean didn’t think he was the same when sober, of course not, but there was a confidence in the way Castiel was, the way he didn’t act like everyone else, that had intoxicated Dean.

 

They had been rash. They’d done some stupid things. But Dean had no regrets. The only question was whether Castiel would regret any of the night before. Whether he would regret Dean. Castiel was snoring in the bed beside him; arms flung wide and head dipping between the pillows. He looked adorable and innocent and untouched by the craziness of their Vegas evening.

 

Dean eased out of bed and headed for the bathroom, hoping that Castiel wouldn’t freak out when he heard the shower going. Dean needed the shower; he could feel himself sweating out alcohol.

 

They were in Castiel’s hotel room. He had wanted to show off that he could too get home when completely wasted, and Dean was far too entertained by inebriated Castiel to argue or suggest going to his room in another hotel. Besides, Castiel’s was closer, nicer, and the key card worked the first time, which just made Castiel incredibly smug. Which was a hard look to pull off when his hair was still adorned with cocktail paraphernalia.

 

Dean looked in the mirror and saw some luminous pink feathers clinging to his own hair. Castiel had, at one point, acquired a feather boa and insisted Dean wear it like a scarf. He had then kept a hand on it and used the boa to command kisses from Dean whenever it had suited his mood. Dean had loved every moment of that. He wasn’t quite sure where the boa was, but it wasn’t in the shower and it was no longer on him.

 

He washed himself quickly and walked back into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist, watching as Castiel turned in the bed, rubbing his face and moaning as he slowly woke up. Dean watched, wondering how to broach the subject of the night before and thinking how adorable Castiel was when he came around. Eventually Castiel looked at him, frowning as he rubbed his face, a paper umbrella still stuck in his hair.

 

“Uh, hi.” Dean stepped cautiously closer towards the bed.

 

“I thought I made you up,” Castiel muttered, his already low voice even deeper, and slightly muffled by the pillow he was half-buried in. He groaned loudly. “My head is fucking killing me.”

 

“You want some Alka-Seltzer?” Dean asked hesitantly. He wasn’t getting a great vibe from Castiel, but perhaps if he had something in him to counter the hangover, he would be a little more like the easy-going guy from the night before. If not, it was going to be one hell of a conversation.

 

“You have some?”

 

“No, but I could go get it.”

 

Castiel peered at him from the covers.

 

“You’re just in a towel.”

 

“I can get dressed,” Dean pointed out. “I mean, you’re suffering.”

 

Castiel looked at him for a moment, and then rubbed his head.

 

“I kinda want you to stay in the towel. We did make out last night, didn’t we?”

 

Dean’s whole body relaxed as he grinned.

 

“Yep.”

 

“Did we have sex?”

 

“Ouch.”

 

Castiel peeked at him through his fingers, and Dean perched on the edge of the bed.

 

“So you don’t remember? I’m that bad at it, huh? I would’ve thought you would remember that.”

 

Dean wasn’t a creep; of course he hadn’t put the moves on Castiel, even as drunk as he was himself. And they had gotten back late … and Castiel had practically fallen asleep the moment he got under the covers.

 

“No, no it was … good. You know, it was … okay, I can’t remember.”

 

“Cas? I’m not going to bone you drunk.”

 

Castiel threw a pillow at him, and he started laughing.

 

“That’s a jerk move.”

 

“Want me to tell anyone who’ll listen just what I think of your eyes?”

 

Castiel walloped him with another pillow.

 

“Were you like this all night and I just didn’t realize?” Castiel grumbled.

 

“You were in a pretty happy bubble.” Dean moved the pillows aside and leaned over him. “I liked being in there with you.”

 

He bent down, and Castiel allowed the kiss.

 

“That I remember,” Castiel breathed. Dean laughed again.

 

“Is your name really Castiel?”

 

“Yes. Is yours really Dean? Dean’s such a weird name!”

 

“Okay, okay, geez.” Dean sat up again, and smiled down fondly at Castiel, still surrounded by the bed covers. “What do you remember about last night?”

 

“I remember eating with my brothers, and Gabriel ordering way too many drinks.”

 

“Jägerbombs.” Dean nodded. “You mentioned them a lot.”

 

Castiel sighed heavily, but offered no further comment on that issue.

 

“Okay. I remember being on a boat with you, I think? And some singing, and going for bacon double cheeseburgers.”

 

“That’s it?” Dean checked. Castiel frowned.

 

“What else is there?”

 

Dean rubbed his chin, unsure how to begin talking through the night before. Castiel glanced at his hand, and then bolted upright.

 

“You’re married?!” He yelped.

 

Castiel didn’t remember anything. Dean tried to calm the situation before it could get out of hand.

 

“Yeah, I am, but-”

 

“Oh my god. When were you going to say something? Were you going to say something? Does your wife know you do this?”

 

Castiel was already panicking, trying to get out of the bed covers and away from Dean.

 

“Whoa, wait, Cas, it’s not like that. If you would just-”

 

“I am not that guy, okay?”

 

“Will you look at your own goddamn hands?” Dean finally managed to cut through Castiel’s panic. He stilled instantly, his eyes widening as he took in the ring that matched Dean’s own new wedding band. “You don’t remember.”

 

“We didn’t.” Castiel whispered.

 

“Uh, we kinda did.”

 

“We _didn’t_.”

 

“I made a video.”

 

Castiel looked like he was going to be sick, and Dean reached for his cell, swiping along until he could call up his videos. He pressed play, and handed it across to his new husband, so that he could watch their wedding. Castiel watched the video silently, and Dean watched him as he drank in the truth.

 

“We got on one of the gondolas in the Venetian. I tried to cut off your alcohol because you were pretty wasted. But I let you encourage me to drink and I guess we both went a little crazy. Stopped off in a nearby bar and did a few tequila shots. You decided to try Absinthe, which I guess was the worst idea. We got talking to some show girls and you convinced one of them that I needed one of their feather boas, which you used as a leash on me for the rest of the night, I swear. And then we went dancing for a while in a club the girls knew about. We were there for about an hour - you can move, by the way - and then you really, really wanted bacon double cheeseburgers. And I love those, so we went looking, and I said how many wedding chapels we were walking past and next thing I know, you’re pulling me into one and demanding we get married. And I … I couldn’t say no to you. At any point last night.”

 

They both lapsed into silence. Dean had no idea how Castiel was processing the news. It had all seemed like such a good idea at the time, they had laughed so much, kissed a hell of a lot, drank copiously and talked endlessly in between all the stupid things they’d done. And he still didn’t regret a moment of it all.

 

“Why did you agree to it?” Castiel asked eventually. “Don’t blame the alcohol.”

 

“I guess … I mean, I came to Vegas for a break, you know? I wasn’t expecting much. Little gambling, little relaxing, nothing major. And then you came along with all this crap in your hair announcing to the world in the loudest voice how hot you thought I was. And I don’t know, I never met anyone like you before, Cas. I know you’re not always going to be the drunk guy, that you’re going to be different to how you were last night, but you still blew me away. It just seemed right, you know. Like we were already married.”

 

“You want to stay married?”

 

“Uh. Yeah. I mean,” Dean adjusted his towel, so he could look anywhere but at Castiel. “If you don’t then it’s fine. We didn’t fool around; we can get an annulment. If that’s what you want.”

 

“We just met, Dean. It’s the sensible thing to do.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Dean looked around for his clothes, and Castiel put a hand on his elbow.

 

“I don’t want to do the sensible thing.”

 

Dean looked up at him, and Castiel’s whole face transported as he smiled widely.

 

“I can feel it too, Dean. What little I remember of last night, I remember thinking you were perfect. That you were gorgeous and funny and you tasted good and … maybe this is crazy, maybe no one else will get it. But I don’t like the idea of getting an annulment. I’d rather have done this the traditional way, but now,” he paused, and pursed his lips for a moment. “We’ll get to know each other, do the whole thing backwards. When do you leave?”

 

“Three days time.”

 

Castiel nodded.

 

“I have a couple of days longer, but for the next three days … I’m going to get to know my husband.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Are you?”

 

Dean smiled at that.

 

“Never been more sure.” He reached across for another kiss, but Castiel leaned back.

 

“Um, it’s not that I don’t want to, Dean, but I don’t want to puke in your mouth more.” Castiel muttered, and then hurried out of the bed and into the bathroom. Dean shook his head, and leaned back in the bed, re-watching the wedding ceremony on his phone himself. They were leaning on each other for support, Dean wearing the boa and one of the umbrellas, both of them giggling away. They recited the vows, clinging onto each other, and then when allowed, they kissed … and kissed … and kissed. The video cut off before the end, and Castiel sat beside him on the bed, sipping a glass of water slowly.

 

“Better?”

 

“I prefer bacon double cheeseburgers on the way in.” Castiel moaned. There was a loud knocking on the door, and Castiel’s head snapped up. “Oh, no.”

 

“What?”

 

“My brothers. And you’re still just in the towel. Quick, because-”

 

Castiel didn’t get to finish the sentence before the door opened. He threw the covers back over Dean, and himself, and Dean watched as someone walked in the room.

 

“Cassie! You didn’t get lost in the desert then?” The man came over and bounced on the foot of the bed.

 

“How did you get in my room?” Castiel shot back.

 

“You and Manny always give each other your room keys, you think I’m not onto you two?”

 

“Manny wouldn’t give you my key.”

 

“I know, and he’s going to be so mad when he realizes. So, are we going to talk about the man in your bed?” Castiel’s brother looked at Dean with an amused glint in his eyes. Castiel sighed and gestured between them.

 

“Gabriel, Dean. Dean, Gabriel.”

 

“Ah, Jäger guy.”

 

“Cassie was bitching about that, huh?”

 

“He mentioned it once or twice.”

 

Castiel’s brother nodded, and smirked at Castiel.

 

“Anyway, Manny and I were getting hungry, so put some pants on, send your bootie call on his way and let’s get brunch. Lunch. Whatever you eat at two in the afternoon.”

 

“I’m not sending Dean anywhere. You and Manny eat, we’ll get room service or something. If I can manage food.”

 

Dean looked at Castiel, who still had a green tinge to his skin, but Gabriel made a scathing noise.

 

“Nope. You are not sticking me with Manny while you’re having sex. Get up.”

 

Castiel groaned, and flopped back onto the pillows, and Dean tried to appeal to Gabriel’s better side.

 

“Maybe give us an hour, let Cas’ hangover settle and we’ll meet you down there?”

 

Gabriel opened his mouth to answer, and someone pounded on the door. Gabriel got up to answer it, and Dean took a moment to adjust his towel, and look at Castiel. Castiel had his eyes closed, and was rubbing his brow with his right hand.

 

“Did you take Castiel’s room key from my room?” A familiar voice demanded in the doorway.

 

“And yours. Here. Cassie hooked up last night.” Gabriel came striding back over to the bed, and Dean looked up … and did a double take. The guy behind Gabriel was another Castiel, though his hair was carefully styled and devoid of flowers. He wore a sweater and slacks, and eyed Dean apprehensively, his gaze probing.

 

“Hi,” Dean squeaked.

 

“Hello.”

 

There was a tense silence, and Castiel’s double crossed close to his brother, placing a hand gently on his forehead.

 

“You should have walked away when Gabriel was talking to the waitress,” the double informed him.

 

“You should have told me you were going,” Castiel grumbled back. “Besides, I wouldn’t have met Dean otherwise.”

 

“You didn’t tell him about me.”

 

“Apparently not.”

 

“He looks startled. And now he looks uncomfortable.”

 

Dean turned and looked at Castiel’s twin, who smiled back at him.

 

“Apparently it’s best if they forewarn people about me, so I apologize that you weren’t given any information.”

 

“Cas seemed to think that Gabriel needed the bigger warning.” Dean shrugged. Castiel’s twin smiled at that.

 

“I agree. How is your hangover now, Castiel?”

 

“Better.”

 

“So you can sit up?”

 

“I can, but I won’t. Can you and Gabriel please leave?”

 

His twin nodded, and walked towards the door, calling back into the room at the threshold.

 

“Come on, Gabe. We’ll see them downstairs in half an hour.”

 

Both of Castiel’s brothers walked out again, and Castiel rested his chin on Dean’s shoulder.

 

“Manny’s my twin.”

 

“I saw that. Don’t pull the twin switch trick on me.”

 

“Hmmm, it’s not Manny’s style. He’s … different.”

 

“So he was saying.”

 

“No, Dean, he,” Castiel sighed, and cuddled closer, his arms slipping around Dean’s naked torso and pulling him back down onto the mattress. Dean went willingly. “He … this is going to sound stupid. But he has these abilities. Like a magic touch. And he’s pretty sensitive to other people, he feels overwhelmed being around too many for too long. Some would call him psychic, or an empath, or a faith healer, and maybe he could fit all of those descriptions but he’s also genuine. And not to be taken advantage of.”

 

“Hey, I wouldn’t. Might take advantage of the fact we’re both barely wearing anything right now, but I’m not going to take advantage of your brothers.”

 

He twisted around in the bed, and planted a kiss on Castiel’s lips.

 

“You’re taking this well,” Castiel whispered.

 

“Hey, wait until you meet my family,” Dean smirked. “You’ll think Manny is a regular guy.”

 

“I doubt you can one up a brother with a healing touch. He got rid of my hangover. That’s why he was touching my head.”

 

“How about a brother with prophetic dreams and visions?” Dean propped himself on his elbows. “You should have seen him when he met his girlfriend, he started babbling about how he had seen her for a year before they met, went into the whole spiel … and she signed back at him. Completely deaf, but great at lip-reading. They’re cute together. And now I feel weird for talking about Sam when I’m in bed with my hot husband.”

 

Castiel grinned, and reached up for another kiss.

 

“We still have about twenty-five minutes until Gabe and Manny bother us again.”

 

Dean smirked, and straddled Castiel.

 

“Better make it count, then.”


	3. Chapter 3

The days blurred together for Castiel. Dean had only left his side once, to return to his hotel and pack up, check out, and come back to Castiel’s room. They spent time with Castiel’s brothers, taking trips into the nearby grand canyon, encouraging Emmanuel to gamble at least one time, taking in a couple of shows and looking at all the sights of the main strip in Las Vegas. They had alone time too, in their room where they made love, and during the day when they would talk endlessly, getting to know each other.

 

He was so, so happy that he had approached Dean when he had, that Dean was just as interested. It didn’t feel like they had only known each other a few days, but that they had spent many lifetimes together and had missed a short while. He felt content around Dean, happy in a way that he could barely contain. Sometimes he felt Emmanuel watching them together, knew his twin could feel his happiness as if it were his own. Gabriel made some obnoxious comments, but they couldn’t permeate through Castiel’s elation.

 

All too soon, it was time for Dean to return to his home in Kansas. Castiel and Emmanuel had taken him to the airport, and Castiel was trying to work out how to say goodbye. Emmanuel stood back, giving them some time to themselves.

 

“I can’t believe it’s over already.” Castiel complained. Dean gave a weak side smile.

 

“Tell me about it. I feel like I’m walking away from my arms or something.”

 

Castiel nodded. Though poorly phrased, it was how he was feeling.

 

“You’ll come to Maine soon, won’t you?”

 

“Sure. Not going to stay away from you too long. And you’ll come to Kansas, and we’ll work out how to do this properly, right?”

 

“Right. It’s still going to be weird not to have you there.”

 

“We’ll call every day, okay?”

 

Castiel nodded, and Dean stepped closer, wrapping his arms around him. Castiel closed his eyes as he sank into Dean’s embrace. He didn’t want to be anywhere else, loving the press of Dean’s body against his, the smell of his husband that he was going to miss almost as much. They heard the call for Dean’s gate, and he groaned.

 

“You could buy a ticket and come with me.”

 

“I’d love to do that.”

 

They slowly peeled away from each other.

 

“Walking away from you sucks.” Dean told his feet.

 

“Having to watch you walk away hurts.” Castiel pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I love you, Dean.”

 

“Love you, Cas.”

 

There was another call for his gate, and Dean turned slowly, walking towards the security area where Castiel couldn’t follow. Castiel watched him leave, feeling stuck to the floor, before Emmanuel put a gentle hand on his shoulder. More than reassurance or understanding, Castiel knew that his twin brother was using those unusual gifts of his in order to ease Castiel’s heartache.

 

“I miss him already.”

 

“Me too.” Emmanuel nodded. “Side effect of being so in tune with you.”

 

They stood there for several more moments before Castiel felt he could walk away. As they walked, Emmanuel kept his hand on his shoulder, trying to soothe the ache inside Castiel’s chest.

 

 

Dean sat in his airline seat, for once not panicking about his phobia of flying. His mind was with Castiel.

 

What had he been thinking, getting on this plane? Leaving his husband behind? He wanted to get up, to leave the plane and go running back to his man. But he knew that it wasn’t going to happen. He had to face up to his real life responsibilities and find some way to balance those with his new husband.

 

It still felt surreal, that he had a husband. That he had married a stranger three days ago and changed his life so entirely. And yet … it didn’t feel right, living without Castiel. Which brought him back to wanting to be off the plane.

 

He couldn’t even look at his phone, at all the memories they had made together and captured in photographs because of stupid flight rules. He took to spinning his wedding band around his finger nervously. And finally, he let reality set in.

 

What was his mother going to say when he told her he had met someone in Vegas? That they had lived up to the most moronic of stereotypes and gotten married despite not knowing each other. That she shouldn’t have worried about him gambling with his money because he gambled with his heart and somehow won the jackpot. That he didn’t know what the future held, whether he and Cas would try for the long-distance thing for long or if he would be leaving Kansas for his man. Leaving his entire family behind, and all the siblings that relied on him …

 

All too soon the plane was landing, and Dean followed the other passengers off the plane without paying much mind to what he was doing. He nearly walked past Sam and Sam’s girlfriend. He shook his head to rouse himself.

 

“Hey.” He muttered at his brother, and kissed Eileen’s cheek. Her hands began flying as she tried to talk to Dean. She could communicate well enough without the sign language, but Dean was trying to learn a little ASL. He signed back quickly, cajoling his brain for the limited words he knew. And her gaze immediately flew to the band around the finger on his left hand. Sam was just as in tune as Eileen.

 

“Dean, what’s that on your hand?”

 

“Nothing.” Dean cleared his throat, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Sam and Eileen swapped a look that normally exasperated Dean, but this time he pretended not to notice as they walked together towards the car.

 

“Mom’s expecting you home, but Eileen has to shoot off so I won’t be hanging around,” Sam told him as they walked. “So I guess it’s just the car ride home to explain why you’re wearing a wedding ring?”

 

Dean stayed tight-lipped. Sam was the one brother he could talk to better than anyone, but he wasn’t sure how to begin talking about his few days away. How Sam would take the news, let alone their mother.

 

“Because I had one of my visions,” Sam carried on chattering away as soon as they left the airport crowds behind. “Of you, and pink feathers, and paper umbrellas, some guy not leaving you alone. Sound familiar?”

 

“Why are you asking when you clearly know everything?” Dean eventually muttered back.

 

“I don’t know his name. Or his twin’s name.”

 

Dean sighed and climbed into his brother’s car, waiting for Eileen to slide into the back seat behind him.

 

“Castiel. His name is Castiel.”

 

“Where’s he from?”

 

“Maine.”

 

“You gonna move up there?”

 

Sam wasn’t turning the engine on, and it was clear he wouldn’t until he was satisfied with this conversion.

 

“I don’t know, Sam. We didn’t really talk about that.”

 

“Don’t you think you should have? You married the guy!”

 

“Is that what I did, Sammy?”

 

Dean stared out the side window, and Sam caught his upper arm in a gentle grip.

 

“Look, I know you haven’t known him long, I know this is a shock to your system, and I could tell when I saw my vision that you like him a lot. But you know what Mom’s going to be like. And you know what it’ll be like when you get back and I guess I’m just trying to help? Like, he can’t share with you and Adam, can he?”

 

This was what Dean had avoided facing since Castiel waxed lyrical about his freckles. It wasn’t just going back to the reality of a routine, a humdrum existence away from the bright lights and obnoxious noises of Sin City. It wasn’t separating from a man he had fallen head over heels for either. It was that he still lived with his mother, sharing a room with his half-brother, helping the only parent he had left to deal with all the siblings that had drifted their way, seeking time with their father and finding out the horrible truth.

 

Adam had been the first one to show up. His mother had recently died. His only family left were the siblings in the house, although Adam had an attitude the size of a city about it all. Charlie had come next, her mother was sick in hospital, and she had come to live with her father, in theory anyway. But John Winchester was long gone, and Mary had taken her in regardless of the evidence that John Winchester had cheated again.

 

Dean could probably have dealt with two half siblings to come out of the woodwork. But of course it didn’t stop there. There was Claire - a stroppy blonde girl who could out-sass Adam - who only found out recently who her real family was, having been raised in a home for the last few years; there was Ben who liked to follow Dean around near-constantly. Awkwardly, Dean had also dated Ben’s mother at one point, and the revelation that they were actually brothers had been nauseating. The most recent family member to come to them was, most confusingly, called Mary as well. A tiny young thing who must have come along just before John died, whose mother abandoned her with them all.

 

Mary - Dean’s mother - had taken them all in without question, without much fuss. She insisted that they had all come to find the rest of their family, and she was Sam and Dean’s family, so they all counted as far as she was concerned. And yet, Sam had already moved in with Eileen by then, and somehow Dean was left acting like another father figure to half-siblings he never asked for. It had taken him a while to convince his mother that he needed some alone time. He suspected she forgot often that he wasn’t her other half, her partner in all things child-rearing. It was one thing to be the responsible older brother to Sam, it was another one to suddenly find himself pseudo parent to brothers and sisters he hadn’t had the chance to get used to.

 

“I don’t know Sam. It’s not been long. We haven’t thought about anything practical. For now, I’m just going to keep in touch with him and plan when to see him again. Then we can talk about all that stuff.”

 

“Do you like him, Dean?” Eileen piped up from the backseat. He turned to look at her and she grinned sheepishly. “I was reading Sam’s lips in the rear view.”

 

“This conversation is officially over.”

 

 

It was a long twenty-four hours of time with Emmanuel, sight-seeing the grand facades of the hotels on the strip, before Castiel heard from Dean again. The Facetime option on his phone lit up, and he accepted the call greedily.

 

“Dean!”

 

Dean chuckled, his beautiful freckled face filling the camera, his expression tender and borderline dopey.

 

“Hey Cas.”

 

“Glad you got home okay.”

 

“Yeah. Um, so, I thought I’d give you the Winchester tour, show you around my house, if that’s cool? Well, my mom’s house.”

 

Castiel was only slightly taken aback. Dean hadn’t really mentioned much about his family, except for his psychic brother; in the few days they had known each other. And yet, he wanted to see it very much, to know his husband even better.

 

“Sure. Then I can picture you when you’re not with me.”

 

Dean gave another beautiful smile.

 

“That’s what I was thinking. So, this is my room.” Dean angled the camera, staying in shot but giving Castiel more of a view of the twin beds, the plain green walls, and the sulking younger man in one corner, plugged into headphones and a video game. “And my half-brother, Adam, who’s currently dying in Call of Duty.”

 

Castiel saw Adam roll his eyes, and no other reaction. Dean moved on, his focus just past the screen as he left the room.

 

“I kinda share with Adam. It’s a long story. I’ll tell you better some other time. This is my half-sister’s room. Charlie and Mary. It should be Claire as well but it’s best to keep her as far away from Charlie as possible.”

 

“Because she takes all my cool stuff.” A girl opened the door to complain, then spotted Castiel on Dean’s screen. “Is that the guy you met in Vegas?”

 

Dean nodded, and Castiel gave Charlie a wave. She grinned mischievously and winked at Dean.

 

“He’s hot.”

 

“He’s mine.”

 

“Duh, Dean. Besides, he’s not my type.”

 

“What’s a type?” A new voice lisped. Dean looked away from the phone screen entirely, and answered patiently in a soft voice.

 

“Well, a banana is a type of fruit, and a mango is a different type of fruit. So Cas is my kind of guy but not Charlie’s.”

 

“Claire said Charlie had a girlfriend.”

 

“Oh my God, you little snitch!” Charlie complained, and there were the sounds of running as Dean brought his phone close to his face. He did nothing to stop his sisters chasing each other, and Castiel could hear screeching filter through the house. Dean sighed heavily.

 

“You got any sisters?” he asked.

 

“No. It’s just Gabriel, Emmanuel and I.”

 

“Lucky you.”

 

“You’ve met Gabriel and still consider me to be fortunate?”

 

Dean smirked.

 

“Just for that, I’m going to introduce you to Claire.”

 

He walked along, and pushed open a door.

 

“Geez, knock much, Dean?” Some girl called out over the loud music.

 

“Claire, Cas. Cas, Claire.”

 

“Eat me.” Claire responded, and resumed what she had been doing before Dean walked in, which was Sharpie-ing her nails black. Dean made a face at Castiel, and walked on.

 

“Two more rooms. One is Mom’s, she and Claire are the only ones with their own rooms - something Charlie says is unfair like she’s the eldest or something.” he shook his head, and knocked on another door, waiting for a response.

 

“Come in!” someone called. Dean did, and scanned the phone around the room, meaning that Castiel couldn’t see his face for a few moments, but got to see another twin bed set up, this time with a couple of reptile tanks in the room, and a miniature version of Dean scribbling furiously into a notebook.

 

“Hey Ben. This is Cas. Cas, this is my youngest half-brother, Ben. He shares with Alfie, a kid my mom adopted before my dad died.”

 

“Our dad died.” Ben corrected, adding ferocity to the scribbles.

 

“That’s what I meant.”

 

“Not what you said.”

 

“I haven’t told Cas about any of that stuff yet.”

 

The phone screen came back to Dean, though he was looking thoughtfully across the room at Ben still.

 

“Alfie’s at work right now, works in the local burger joint,” he said quietly.

 

“Nice. So, you can get bacon double cheeseburgers any time?”

 

Dean focused back on Castiel, his expression softening further.

 

“Not the same as grabbing them with you.”

 

He cleared his throat, and resumed his tour, taking Castiel into his mother’s room briefly, and then down the stairs, into a large, airy room where a small girl was busying herself over a plastic tea party set.

 

“Dean! Come have tea!”

 

“Maybe later, Mary. I’m talking to Cas now.”

 

“Hello, Dean’s type!” The girl flapped her hand in a big wave. Dean gave her a big smile, as Castiel laughed, realizing this was the little girl who got chased out of her room by her older sister. Dean walked through into a large kitchen, where a blonde woman worked over the kitchen table, slowly typing on a laptop, Charlie leaning over her shoulder at the same time.

 

“Mom? Cas is on the phone.”

 

The blonde woman looked up from the computer and looked at the screen intently.

 

“It’s nice to meet you, Castiel. Dean’s told us a lot about you.”

 

“Hello,” Castiel faltered, and realized that he didn’t know what to call Dean’s mother. Did he call her mom too? Was that too intimate on their first encounter? Did he call her Mrs Winchester or was that a little weird? Dean had very briefly mentioned that he no longer had a father, Castiel didn’t know if calling her Mrs Winchester would upset her. Dean took back control of the conversation before Castiel could open his mouth and upset his new mother-in-law.

 

“So, Sam and Eileen aren’t here or I’d let you see them as well,” he said as he walked outside, and climbed onto the hood of a beautiful sleek black car. “And that’s my family.”

 

“Your father passed away?” Castiel asked gently. Dean shrugged a shoulder.

 

“Not trying to be an ass, Cas, but that’s an in-person conversation. It’s complicated and messy, and I might need to actually have you here to, you know,” Dean was lost for words now, and Castiel felt his chest thrum in double time.

 

“Is it stupid that I miss you already?” Castiel asked. Dean gave a forced chuckle.

 

“No. I’ve been missing you since we said goodbye.”

 

They both fell silent for a moment, Dean looking down and Castiel taking in his breathtaking husband once again.

 

“I do love your freckles.”

 

Dean snorted.

 

“How did this happen?” He looked up, his green eyes clear and wide. “How did I end up-”

 

He was cut off as someone slid a pedal bike next to the car, and they took their cycle helmet off.

 

“Hey, Dean. Burger?” The kid offered him a greasy paper bag.

 

“Thanks, Alfie. Um, this is Cas.”

 

Alfie stuck his head in front of the camera and waved, then dropped the burger bag onto Dean’s lap and headed off. Dean gave a heavy sigh.

 

“I need to see you again. In person. Soon.”

 

“I could re-route my plane ticket to come and spend a couple of days with you?” Castiel offered. Dean dug into the bag and started to unwrap the burger with one hand.

 

“You sure you want to come into this mad house?”

 

“Yes. And then you can give me those in-person stories.”

 

“You’d have to sleep on the couch. Mom has strict rules about what the others can see.”

 

“But you’d be there and I’d be there.”

 

Dean smiled, and nodded.

 

“Okay. And if you survive it, then there’s no way you’re allowed to divorce me.”

 

“Not going to happen. Do they know we got married?”

 

“Sam and Eileen do. Everyone else knows I met you, but I didn’t know how to say … I just … can you be here when that comes up?”

 

“We’re a team, right?”

 

“Yeah, we are.”

 

Castiel heard someone calling in the distance, and Dean grimaced.

 

“I gotta go. I’ll call before I go to sleep. If I’m whispering it’s because of Adam.”

 

“Okay. Thanks for the tour.”

 

Dean gave him another adorable smirk and then hung up, and Castiel flopped onto the bed in the hotel room that not that long ago his new husband had been in also.


	4. Chapter 4

Gabriel had teased Castiel mercilessly about swapping his airline ticket over, and Emmanuel had been as understanding as ever. They had hugged at the gate, and Emmanuel had promised to take over looking after Castiel’s cat from their father until Castiel returned. And then Castiel had spent the two hours and forty minutes in the air trying to anticipate what would happen when he saw Dean again, trying to remember all the names and faces he had seen in Dean’s mini tour. There was Andy and … no, that wasn’t right. How did Dean keep all those names straight?

 

 

He got off the plane and walked towards the Arrivals exit, trying to look for Dean in the crowds of people waiting for their family, friends and business associates to appear. But Dean wasn’t there. Castiel began to feel anxious, wondering if he had the wrong plane, and then he saw two people gesturing rapidly between each other, neither of them making a sound. Perhaps it was too much to hope, or maybe some of Emmanuel’s curious powers had an effect on him. Either way, he remembered Dean’s story about his brother’s girlfriend, and hoped he didn’t have it wrong.

 

“Hello,” he said as he approached them. The man turned, and began gesturing wildly at him. Castiel faltered. “Oh, never mind-”

 

“Oh, sorry.” The man cringed, and nodded his head at the woman. “Sometimes I get lost in signing. You’re Dean’s … you know Dean, right?”

 

Castiel experienced a strange sensation of both relief and confusion. So it was likely this couple were Dean’s brother and his girlfriend, but also he didn’t know anything of Castiel and Dean’s relationship. The woman continued signing as she spoke, her voice clear and strong though it was evident in the tone that she was deaf.

 

“Dean had to help at home, he asked us to come and get you. I’m Eileen. This is Sam.”

 

“Castiel.”

 

She smiled widely, and Castiel began to relax.

 

“We know. Dean hasn’t stopped talking about you. I think. I don’t know, I keep looking away from him.”

 

Sam signed something at her, and they both laughed, leaving Castiel feeling completely out of his depth.

 

“Come on, my car’s this way,” Sam gestured along, and Castiel dragged his carry on case behind them, watching as Eileen and Sam continued their conversation without including him. He turned on his cell as Sam began to pull out of the car lot, and saw a message from Dean explaining that he had to step in as babysitter last minute and he’d go into it more when Castiel got there. That Sam and Eileen should be able to pick him up and expect Eileen to make some deaf jokes.

 

“So, what made you get married to Dean?” Sam asked as they hit the highway. Castiel hadn’t expected Dean’s family to know. And it sounded bad, to explain they had met when drunk and decided to honor the decision when sober. Eileen answered, watching her boyfriend closely in order to lip read.

 

“He heard I got you and went for the consolation prize.”

 

“Maybe Cas likes a man who gives goo-goo eyes to a cherry pie.” Sam offered.

 

“He hasn’t mentioned pie,” Castiel piped up.

 

“Okay. Well, if you ever wonder if my brother is cheating, it’s only with a banana cream.”

 

“Maybe an apple pie a la mode,” Eileen laughed. Castiel looked out of the window at the scenery flying by, until Sam started talking again.

 

“Dean only told us. It was his own fault; he didn’t take his ring off before signing at Eileen. Mom doesn’t know yet, or any of the half-bloods.”

 

“Half-bloods?”

 

“Charlie, Adam, Alfie, Claire, Ben and Mary. Different moms, same dad.”

 

“Charlie decided on that name. She likes Harry Potter.”

 

“She calls Dean and me pure-bloods as well.” Sam nodded at Eileen. “You’ll get used to us, don’t worry.”

 

Castiel gave him a nervous smile as they pulled up outside a modest sized house with that beautiful sleek black car outside, next to a minivan, a pedal bike and a moped. The front door opened and a redhead Castiel recognized from Dean’s video walked out, and up to the moped as they climbed out of Sam’s car.

 

“Peace out, bitches.” She grinned.

 

“Does Mom know you’re going out?” Sam immediately asked her. She rolled her eyes.

 

“Unlike everyone from Alfie down, I am not a child. So I don’t have to give her my schedule, okay? Besides, she took Adam to the hospital. She thinks he had an allergic reaction to something.”

 

“That’s why Dean stayed here?”

 

“Uh-huh.” She put her helmet on and climbed on the moped, as Eileen gestured into the house. Castiel walked in, and found Dean in the kitchen with two much younger kids, all three of them decorating pizza bases. He didn’t want to interrupt, just watching how Dean was with his young siblings. Sam came up behind him and ruined the touching moment.

 

“Dean! Got you a guy at the airport, Eileen says if it’s the wrong one, we can go back and trade.”

 

Dean looked up from his sister’s pizza base and gave that adorable soft smile.

 

“You joke, but did you check his name was Castiel?”

 

“Isn’t it enough I picked you up a guy, now I gotta ID him?”

 

Dean shrugged.

 

“Could be his brother Manny.”

 

“I’m not Manny,” Castiel reassured him. Sam put an arm around his shoulders.

 

“That sounds like something a Manny would say.”

 

“Don’t be mean,” the little girl admonished. She blinked up at Castiel. “What would you like on your pizza?”

 

“Uh, cheese?”

 

“And?”

 

“Mary, stop it,” the other boy complained, and threw a handful of pepper slices across the table.

 

“Both of you stop it,” Dean corrected, and left them alone to walk around the table and embrace Castiel, who hugged his husband back gratefully. “Hey.”

 

“Hey.”

 

“Sorry for the zoo. I’d tell you it was going to get better but, it’s really not.” Dean stepped back slightly. “So, you met Sam and Eileen. This is Mary, and this is Ben,” he gestured to the kids behind him. “They’re the youngest ones.”

 

“Charlie just went out, he met her,” Sam interrupted. Dean nodded, but said nothing about their sister. “Okay, we delivered your Castiel, or maybe Manny, we’re going.”

 

“Oh, come on!” Dean complained.

 

“Castiel can help you.”

 

Dean closed his eyes as Sam left the house with Eileen, and Castiel began to have some misgivings. He had come for Dean, and now he was beginning to realize how irrational they had been in jumping into a relationship when they knew nothing about each other’s lives.

 

“So … you’re making pizza?” Castiel asked Dean’s young siblings. Mary nodded and dumped a handful of bacon onto her pie.

 

“Yep, we’re making dinner!” She crowed happily. Ben started taking bacon back off her pizza base, and Dean stepped in again, Castiel appreciating that despite his clear frustration, he was still good with the two of them.

 

“Ben, leave her pizza alone.”

 

“She’s using up all the bacon.”

 

“Everyone loves bacon.”

 

“This is dumb.” Ben stomped out of the room, and Dean collapsed into a chair. Castiel hesitated, before stepping closer.

 

“Do we need to go see if he’s okay?”

 

“No, he’ll go and watch some cartoons or something,” Dean muttered, and passed a piece of bacon back to his sister. “Go nuts, Mary.”

 

“You make pizza too, Castiel!” Mary commanded, and at a nod from Dean, Castiel slid into Ben’s vacant seat, eyeing up all the toppings Dean had organized for them to use.

 

“It keeps them quiet and busy, normally.” Dean told him when it was clear Mary was lost in her own creative-food world.

 

“Do you normally help with your brothers and sisters?” Castiel asked gently.

 

“You could say that.” Dean nodded. “I’ll explain it properly later.”

 

“Are you boyfriends?” Mary interrupted. Dean shrugged at Castiel, who gave him a baffled look back. If Dean hadn’t announced their impromptu marriage, how would they tackle telling Mary, who couldn’t have been older than six?

 

“Something like that,” Dean eventually told her.

 

“Tammy-May at school said that’s a sin and you’ll burn in hellfire.”

 

“Good to know what’s in my future.” Dean deadpanned. She giggled, and then turned serious.

 

“I don’t want you to get burned.”

 

“I’ll stick to the brimstone walls, how about that?”

 

She giggled again, and passed the pot of anchovies to Castiel.

 

“Don’t let my brother burn.”

 

Castiel took the anchovies from her.

 

“I wouldn’t want that for Dean either. But there’s nothing wrong with us being together.”

 

Dean gave a small shake of his head, so that Mary wouldn’t see it. Castiel frowned at him, and he mouthed the word ‘later’.

 

 

It took a long time for Castiel to get Dean alone. As soon as they were done making the pies, Mary had dragged Castiel out of the room to see her doll collection, and he lost track of Dean until their meal was done. And then there had been a flurry of activity as all Dean’s siblings came out for food, talking and bickering and eating, leaving Castiel feeling increasingly bewildered. Eventually, Dean had dumped the younger ones in front of the TV and let the older ones drift off, and pulled Castiel down into the basement where they collapsed onto a sagging sofa. Dean sat back and closed his eyes, and Castiel took a moment to breathe.

 

“I’m sorry. This wasn’t what you were expecting. It’s not what I wanted.” Dean spoke to the ceiling.

 

“You had told me your family was big, and complicated.”

 

“Yeah,” Dean sighed, and opened his eyes. “And hey, I’m sorry about Mary earlier. A lot of people around here … they’d go biblical if they knew we were married.”

 

“Oh.” Castiel didn’t know how to react. He wanted to suggest that Dean come and live in Maine with him, where he had his own house but something held him back. Especially when Dean carried on talking.

 

“They already think we’re weird. Because until about six years ago it was just Mom, Dad, Sam, Alfie, and me. Mom and Dad adopted Alf about ten years ago. And Dad was on a job - he was a truck driver - and he had a heart attack at the wheel. He died. Sam and me had already moved out by then but I moved back to help Mom, just temporarily, just for a while. But then Adam showed up. His mom had died and he’d come looking for his dad. It was … it was weird. This scrawny kid, giving us all the stink eye, demanding to see Dad, getting used to the idea his mom had been the other woman.”

 

Castiel was gripped by Dean’s words, hearing the compassion behind them for his family situation, wondering if Dean had grieved himself or if he had put it aside to be there for his mother.

 

“But Mom took him in, said he could stay. And just as we got used to having Adam around, Charlie shows up. Her mom’s sick, she’s been sent to live with her dad. Except her dad’s dead, so we’re all she’s got. And Mom took her in too, but I could see it was starting to get to her. One affair she could forgive, but two?”

 

“Truck drivers do have that reputation,” Castiel murmured.

 

“I know. And I know it wasn’t always smooth with them, but they loved each other. Everyone could see it, you know? And then Lisa dropped Ben off, saying it was time his father took some responsibility every once in a while. I had dated her a few years before, so I thought for a while that maybe Ben was mine, but she was adamant it was Dad. That was a kick in the crotch, finding out my dad and my ex … anyway, Mom worked out a deal with Lisa, so sometimes she has Ben, sometimes we do. Then Claire came along. She was a troubled kid, she’d been in orphanages for a couple of years, getting into trouble, and then she turned up on our door demanding answers from her deadbeat dad. Mom talked to social services, took her on too. When Mary came along because her Mom had run away and left her with us, it was like, what’s one more of Dad’s affair kids at this point? It was a shock for Mom though, because her name is Mary so like, what was Dad thinking?”

 

Castiel felt speechless. He felt embarrassed for the first time, for the way he had approached Dean. For throwing more complications his way.

 

“But even though Charlie was an adult by this point, and Adam, they didn’t want to move away. Charlie had found an office job she was good at, Adam got into college nearby. And I gave up my apartment because Mom would call me whenever I tried to go back, making me help out. I guess I’m a sucker, knowing she was in a house full of kids who weren’t hers but gave her some contact with Dad still. She wouldn’t kick any of them out, but sometimes it’s tough having them here.”

 

Castiel placed a hand on Dean’s knee, and Dean immediately grabbed his fingers.

 

“Sorry, I’m being a pain in the ass.”

 

“You’re not. It sounds difficult. I mean, you and your mom have given up your lives for your father’s actions.”

 

“I guess. I mean, I still work at the local garage part time, and Mom has her job. Charlie, Adam, Claire and Alfie are all old enough now. It’s just Ben and Mary that really need looking after. Never tell Claire I said that about her.”

 

Castiel shot him a smile, and Dean sat forward.

 

“And you thought Gabriel would put me off.”

 

“He still could.” Castiel assured him. Dean put their foreheads together.

 

“Nope. Those few days I was in Vegas, they were the first I’d had to myself for a while. And it sucked until you were there. You’re the first selfish decision I’ve made in six years. Not even Gabriel could ruin that.”

 

“And I thought I was the one being selfish.” Castiel smirked.

 

“It did take me a little while to realize that you were for real.”

 

“I thought you hated me.”

 

“No. Never.”

 

Dean pressed a gentle kiss against his mouth, and Castiel clutched him closer, kissing him deeper, registering only too late the sound of footsteps coming down the basement steps. Dean pulled away from him and he reluctantly allowed it. They turned, and saw Dean’s mother standing there, arms crossed as she took in the scene.

 

“You were meant to be watching the kids, Dean.”

 

“They were fine. Ben put on a Minions movie.”

 

“And what about Claire?”

 

“Alfie’s doing homework with her. Charlie’s out. How’s Adam?”

 

“He’s fine. It wasn’t an allergy. On the bright side, it was a huge waste of time and money.”

 

Dean groaned, and flopped back on the sofa.

 

“Not again.”

 

“Again. Could you stop fooling around and get Mary and Ben to bed, please? I’ll check on Claire and Alfie.” She sized Castiel up. “We’ll make you a bed up on the sofa upstairs.”

 

Dean got up without another word, shooting an apologetic look back at Castiel as he headed upstairs, leaving his new husband with his mother. They looked at each other as Dean disappeared.

 

“So, you’re Dean’s Vegas guy,” she announced.

 

“Um, yes. I am.” Castiel felt nervous under her appraising eye. “My name’s Castiel.”

 

“I know. He keeps talking about you.”

 

There was another awkward pause, and Castiel found himself rushing to fill it.

 

“I’m sorry, I thought it would be okay to fly over and spend a couple more days with Dean. I thought he would have said.”

 

“He did.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Castiel, it’s fine that you’re here, but we don’t have any spare beds and we have a few young children here. Dean knows the rules, but just so you know, there’s no fooling around. I don’t want to have to explain to any of them what you and Dean are doing.”

 

“That’s fair,” Castiel nodded.

 

“I know. Dean said you were going to be here for a couple of days.”

 

“If that’s okay.”

 

Dean’s mother shrugged.

 

“You’re here now.”

 

Castiel couldn’t fight the notion that she wasn’t happy to see him, and he didn’t know how to continue talking to her. How was this the same woman that had taken on so many of her husband’s other children?

 

“I’m going to check the older ones are doing their homework. Perhaps you could keep Adam company? He’s in the kitchen.”

 

She walked away, and Castiel followed soon after. He was starting to understand why Dean had taken so long to greet him when he arrived. Maybe the decision to visit Dean was a mistake.


	5. Chapter 5

Dean felt awful. Castiel had gone to a lot of effort to visit him, They were meant to be getting to know each other better, maybe make some decisions on what to do next. And instead he was stuck in his usual routine of babysitting his half-siblings, leaving Castiel alone and probably extremely bored.

 

He had read a story to Mary and put up with her endless questions about Castiel, realizing how little he knew of his husband when he couldn’t say what his favorite color, animal, or day was. Eventually he cut Mary off and made her settle down, flicking on her nightlight and refusing to answer anything more. And then he had Ben to contend with, who started his routine of saying what Lisa let him do, what Lisa would say, how long it was until Ben was back with his own mother. It was exhausting for Dean to bite his tongue and let Ben run out of steam, but somehow he did it.

 

Then his mother was calling for him to help with Claire or Alfie, and he grabbed at the chance to help Alfie who was far more amiable. But even Alfie had an abundance of questions, delivered in his usual perky way.

 

“Come on, Alf, calculus.”

 

“You hated calculus too. So, who asked who out?”

 

“ _x_ asked _y_.”

 

“Dean, I’m serious! It’s big news.”

 

“Almost as big as you finding out what the cosine is. Or whatever.”

 

“What are you avoiding?” Alfie asked. Dean tapped the textbook between them silently. “Come on, Castiel is clearly your boyfriend. He doesn’t stop looking at you.”

 

“I know.”

 

“So, there must be a story.”

 

“There is, it includes coefficients and percentages and divisibles. It’s thrilling.”

 

“I’ll ask Castiel.”

 

“You’ll get your math out the way.”

 

“Did you notice he’s wearing a wedding ring?” Alfie asked innocently.

 

“Are you going to do your assignment?”

 

Alfie opened his textbook dramatically, and rubbed the eraser end of his pencil across his eyebrow, before dropping his voice.

 

“Did you get married in Vegas?”

 

Dean didn’t want to lie to Alfie, who despite not being a blood relative felt more like his brother than some of the others. But he also wanted to handle the way this information came out so that it didn’t blow out of proportion before he could talk to his mother.

 

“Ben’s trying to sleep, Alf. Homework.”

 

“I’m not sleeping. I heard him.” Ben’s voice piped up, much louder than Alfie’s. “You married Castiel?!”

 

So much for it not blowing out of proportion.

 

“Go to sleep, Ben.”

 

“Why aren’t you wearing a ring?” Ben persisted, his voice still raised. Dean heard the door open, and knew his mother was there. Possibly with a crowd of his other siblings listening in with all they were worth behind her. Dean pinched the bridge of his nose.

 

“You’re not wearing it. Isn’t Castiel insulted? How did it happen?” Alfie stepped up his questions, and Dean gave in completely to his sense of defeat. His half-brothers weren’t going to drop it, and there was no point in denying it. He sat back in his chair and looked at Alfie as he slipped his hand into his jeans pocket and pulled his ring out, placing it onto his ring finger and waiting for the fall out. He could feel their eyes burning into the back of his neck.

 

“This isn’t how I wanted to do this,” he muttered.

 

“Oh my God,” Claire snorted with laughter behind him.

 

“Claire,” Dean’s mom’s voice was a warning.

 

“Dean married a dude! Come on, that’s hilarious. Do you bottom, Dean?”

 

“Claire, room!”

 

“Dean marries some random guy and I’m the one getting grounded?” Claire pushed. “A plus parenting, Mary.”

 

Dean gave Alfie a sour look, and Alfie had the grace to look ashamed in return. Dean made himself turn around and look at his mother.

 

“I wanted to do this properly,” he began. She didn’t let him continue.

 

“If you were doing it properly, you wouldn’t have gotten married. You would be dating him until one of you proposed and then both your families would be there.”

 

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

 

“Sorry doesn’t change the fact you married someone you’ve just met. Sorry doesn’t undo you inviting him here and then telling me the morning he’s due to fly in.”

 

“I know.” Dean was starting to feel pissed off. “But I don’t regret a second of it. I don’t care if I sound crazy, marrying a guy I just met. You just have to spend a little while with Cas and you’d get it too.”

 

Mary - the six-year-old - padded out of her room at that moment too.

 

“Everyone’s talking, I can’t sleep,” she grouched. Dean stood up to help her, but his mother held up her hand.

 

“I’ll put her back to bed. Ben will lie down to go to sleep too. Alfie, finish your homework with Claire. Dean, I want you and Castiel in the kitchen. We will talk when the others are settled.”

 

Dean sighed, and headed down the stairs, finding Castiel in the TV room playing Super Mario Kart with Adam and Charlie, who were taking full advantage of the fact that Castiel sucked. Dean sat beside his husband and leaned in close.

 

“We have a problem,” he muttered.

 

“Yes, your siblings are far too good at this game.”

 

“No. I mean,” Dean hoped that Charlie and Adam weren’t listening. “I hadn’t told any of them about Vegas. I told them we met but … they just found out.”

 

“Oh.” Castiel looked down swiftly at Dean’s hand, and let go of his controller to weave their fingers together.

 

“Yeah. I wanted to do it better than that.”

 

“What are they talking about?” Adam asked Charlie.

 

“Probably about Dean’s wedding ring he’s been hiding in his pants whenever any of us are around. Like we’re not going to notice.”

 

“Oh. I thought he just got syphilis from a show girl.”

 

“That could still be true,” Charlie laughed. Dean buried his head into Castiel’s shoulder, breathing in the scent of his cologne. Castiel left the controller alone and curled closer to Dean.

 

“It’s okay, we’re a team,” he whispered.

 

“I didn’t mean to screw it up.”

 

Dean felt Castiel kiss the top of his head just as the older Mary appeared in the doorway. Dean and Castiel stood up reluctantly, following her into the kitchen and sitting together at the table, facing her.

 

“So, was it a drunken mistake?” Mary asked, folding her arms on the table in front of her. Dean swapped a look with Castiel.

 

“I don’t think either of us consider it to be a mistake,” Castiel said slowly. “Unconventional, but not a mistake.”

 

“But you were drunk?” Mary persisted. They traded another look, and Dean debated how much they were going to confess to his mother. Castiel seemed to be asking how much he would want to reveal.

 

“There was alcohol,” Dean conceded. “But you think we haven’t talked about this?”

 

“Since you got married five minutes ago?” Mary scoffed.

 

“We discussed it the next morning,” Castiel said evenly. “Like I said, this is unconventional, but it’s something that Dean and I both want.”

 

Dean’s mother looked unconvinced.

 

“You barely know each other.”

 

“So? We want to get to know each other. That’s why he’s here,” Dean shot back.

 

“It’s really no different to an arranged marriage in that sense,” Castiel mused. “Getting married and then getting to know each other. The difference is that we both chose this.”

 

“You seem confident in what Dean wants when you’ve just met,” Mary observed somewhat callously.

 

“I was the one who remembered getting married the next morning.” Dean tried to keep his irritation in check. “I was the one making sure Cas was going to be okay with it. He knows how I feel.”

 

“So, are you moving out? Is he moving in? What happens next, Dean?”

 

“We’re working that out.”

 

“And what about the locals? What about your boss? You think it won’t get out that you have a husband? You think this town will accept that?”

 

“Bobby’s like family, he wouldn’t fire me.” Dean scoffed.

 

“He might. If he gets death threats for hiring a gay man.”

 

“Then why would I want to work for him?” Dean snapped. Castiel placed a hand on his bicep.

 

“Mrs Winchester, I’m not local to here. Dean and I will have a lot to consider. We might have jumped into marriage but the rest we’re taking our time on.”

 

“And what about your brothers and sisters?” Mary pushed. “I can’t raise six children on my own.”

 

“Charlie’s twenty, Adam’s eighteen. Claire and Alfie are both seventeen. There are only two kids. And four others who can help.”

 

“But they’re not,” Mary bit her lip, and Dean knew what she was getting at.

 

“You didn’t have to take them all in,” Dean said quietly.

 

“I couldn’t turn them away.”

 

“Ben’s going back to Lisa soon. You don’t have to have him.”

 

Mary looked down at her hands, and Castiel rubbed circles on Dean’s arm.

 

“Nothing has to be decided right now,” He assured her, and Dean’s chest tightened. Castiel was so perfect that he was practically unreal.

 

“Just, please keep everything low key in front of the younger ones.”

 

“Mary’s already repeating stuff from kids at school,” Dean admitted. His mother sat back in her chair and gave them a tired look.

 

“I’ll talk to her teacher.”

 

“Do you want me to?” Dean offered. She shook her head.

 

“No. Mr Ketch already confused you for Mary’s father. It’s better that I do it.” She stood up and left the room, and Dean looked at Castiel, who was watching him with a steady gaze.

 

“It was a lot easier when you were dragging me into the Venetian.” He tried to joke. Castiel gave him a sweet sideways smile.

 

“Give it time, Dean. Like you said, this is the first selfish thing you’ve done in a long time. And it’s going to affect more than just your life. But you’re right; a lot of your half-siblings are practically adults now. It’ll all work out.”

 

Dean leaned closer and brushed his lips against Castiel’s softly.

 

“Wanna fool around with you,” he whispered. “Stupid house rules.”

 

“No such rules at my place,” Castiel reminded him, kissing him again.

 

“We’ll be there soon.”

 

They kissed for a few more minutes before Dean pulled away, and moved into the living room to set the sofa up to be slept on.

 

“You take my bed, I’ll sleep down here. Adam seems okay with you.” Dean told him. Castiel gave him one last gentle kiss and made his way upstairs, following the route Dean had shown him in their video chats. Dean watched him leave, and settled onto the sofa. It could have gone worse, he supposed.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been two weeks since Castiel had visited Dean at his home in Kansas. They had called every day, although Dean was perpetually interrupted by his siblings and they couldn’t grab more than a few minutes talking at a time. Castiel’s evenings felt lonely without Dean there, especially after they hung up on each other. His Persian cat, Daphne, would curl up on his lap and he would have a glass of wine while watching television, reading a book or talking with Emmanuel. But it didn’t compare to having Dean there.

 

Even in Dean’s house, they’d had more time together, or Castiel had been entertained by the abundance of siblings Dean had and helped to look after. Those evenings when his cat was especially clingy, he would stroke her fur and muse on the moments they had shared in the few days he had spent with the Winchesters. The other Winchesters, he was one too, now. But it was incredibly lonely, and if Dean wasn’t so constantly in demand to fulfill the parental role in his siblings’ life, Castiel would become insecure. The fourteen hundred miles between them felt like a massive gulf.

 

He tried to invest more time in his work, to distract himself, but that was difficult in a place like Hope Island, where the views were spectacular and conducive to his creative work, but not very practical in terms of causing a distraction. He had only just managed to meet a deadline for a client in the days between his trip to Kansas, and Dean’s visit to him.

 

But finally, after those long two weeks, Dean was coming to visit him. Sam and Eileen had been roped into helping out with their brothers and sisters, Ben was apparently back with his mother for the foreseeable future, and Dean was taking full advantage of the chance to come and see him. Castiel had been obsessively tidying his house since they arranged it, and now, as he waited for the call to go pick Dean up from the airport, he was looking around at his possessions and wondering what Dean would make of this place. Whether he’d like it. If it was too quiet for him when he was so used to other people and noise.

 

He heard the low rumble of a car, and looked outside, spotting Dean’s black car swinging into his driveway. He hurried to the front door as Dean stepped out of the car, and then he was barreling across his porch, colliding with Dean on the steps in a tight embrace. Dean held him so tightly that he could barely breathe, and he didn’t want to be anywhere else except in those arms.

 

“It’s been a long two weeks,” Dean muttered.

 

“Tell me about it.” Castiel purred back, curling even closer to Dean.

 

“Your neighbors aren’t going to freak, are they?”

 

“Nope. My family are my neighbors.”

 

Dean chuckled, and loosened his grip. Castiel wanted to protest, but then Dean was pressing kisses against his neck and his cheek. He turned his head and met Dean’s lips with his own, sinking into them and sinking further into his arms.

 

“Thought you were flying in.” Castiel breathed when they broke away for air. Dean cringed.

 

“I’m only telling you because you’re my husband, but um, I’m kind of … I don’t really do planes. And the flight back from Vegas proved that.”

 

“You’re afraid of flying?” Castiel was surprised.

 

“No, I’m afraid of crashing and burning. What are you afraid of?”

 

“Blood,” Castiel confessed. “Can’t do it.”

 

“I’ll catch you when you faint over a paper cut.” Dean teased him.

 

“Said the guy who couldn’t even come meet me at the airport.” Castiel pointed out. Dean snorted.

 

“That was because Adam was faking an allergy. And I didn’t want you to get your ass kicked when I couldn’t leave you alone.”

 

Castiel smiled, and made himself peel away from Dean.

 

“Come on, I’ll give you a tour of my house.”

 

They walked into the house, and Dean immediately began sneezing, leaning against the doorframe as he did.

 

“Dean? Are you okay?”

 

“No,” he managed between sneezes. “Talking of allergies,” he sneezed some more. “Do you have a cat?”

 

Castiel’s heart sank.

 

“You’re allergic to cat hair?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I’m sorry, Dean. Give me a minute.”

 

“I’ll wait on the porch.”

 

Castiel nodded, and headed into the kitchen where Daphne was eating her meal. He scooped her up and she flopped in his arms, resigned to the journey even as she mewed loudly.

 

“Just for this weekend,” he whispered, and dashed out the back door, heading into Emmanuel’s house without knocking. His brother was there, on his computer, sorting out something for his own work.

 

“Stop panicking, Castiel, it’s fine.” Emmanuel didn’t even look up.

 

“Dean’s allergic.”

 

“There’s food ready for her.” Emmanuel reached out for Daphne, and Castiel passed her without hesitation. She didn’t seem fussed to be passed over, and Castiel wondered if she was holding her grudge against him.

 

“Thank you, Manny.”

 

“It’s going to work out.” Emmanuel promised as she pawed at his lap, ready to settle there for the foreseeable future. “See, she knows me. She trusts me. There’s lint rollers on the window ledge.”

 

“You’re the best, Manny.”

 

Emmanuel didn’t answer, and Castiel rushed back into his own house clutching the lint rollers. He went over his sofa, his rug, he swept the wooden floors and gave the tables and chairs a once over, and then let Dean in, feeling hot and out of breath.

 

“I’m so sorry. Are you okay now?”

 

“Yeah. Sorry. Where did you put the cat?”

 

“She’s at Manny’s house. He looks after her for me sometimes, she knows him.”

 

There was an awkward silence for a moment.

 

“I feel like I’m saying it’s me or the cat.” Dean confessed.

 

“Are you?”

 

“No. But how is it going to work?”

 

Castiel pursed his lips as he thought. He had had the cat for nine years, and he’d known Dean three weeks. But Emmanuel could look after his cat; there was no way his twin would step in with his husband.

 

“We’ll make it work,” he announced. “Somehow.”

 

Dean still looked apologetic, and Castiel tried to change the subject.

 

“I should give you a tour of my house. Since you gave me one of yours.”

 

Dean nodded, and finally stepped into the house properly. Castiel walked around the house, showing his office, the dining room, the sprawling kitchen, the den, the games room, his two spare rooms, and realizing before they arrived at the bedroom that his house must seem so big to Dean, who spent his life crammed in a house with seven other people. He put a hand on his bedroom door and turned to Dean, who looked up from his backside.

 

“Were you checking out my ass?”

 

“It’s a great ass.”

 

Castiel snorted with laughter.

 

“Have you looked in any of the rooms we’ve been in?”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

“Why don’t I believe you?”

 

“You have a maple dining table.”

 

“Hmmm.”

 

“I was picturing you on it.” Dean smiled sweetly. “And me on top of you.”

 

“Dean,” Castiel tried to chide him, and Dean leaned against the doorframe, pinning him against the closed door.

 

“Pictured fucking you on that pool table,” he murmured, tracing his nose along Castiel’s jaw line. “And on your couch, and against the counters in your kitchen. And when you finally show me your bedroom I’ll be picturing us in there too.”

 

Castiel shivered violently.

 

“Just picturing it?” he asked, his voice catching.

 

“You tell me.”

 

“You’d better get naked when we get in there.”

 

Dean chuckled softly, and kissed just under his jaw, tilting his head back with one hand, the other hand stroking down slowly and caressing Castiel’s ass before he got a firm grip, pulling him closer. Castiel allowed it to happen, melting into Dean’s touch, thrusting his body closer to his husband.

 

“Wrong way,” Dean mumbled into his neck, his voice sending vibrations through Castiel’s skin, and all down his body, right into his groin.

 

“I’m just trying to get closer to you,” Castiel choked out as Dean began sucking on the spot of neck he’d been concentrating on.

 

“I guess no one’s going to walk in on us,” Dean mused, and resumed sucking that spot on his neck. Castiel’s knees buckled and he fell through the door, Dean keeping a firm grip on him and following him in, making him walk backwards until they were at the bed. And then they were on the bed, Dean’s hand squeezing his ass hard, his other hand still angling his neck, stroking along his throat, Dean’s weight pressing him into the blankets, his erection pressing hard against Castiel’s thigh. Castiel tried to be more proactive, sliding his hands up Dean’s t-shirt, gliding against his warm skin, inching the material up until his fingers hit nipple, and he began toying with them as Dean progressed down his neck. He looked up at the ceiling, gasping for breath as Dean’s nipples hardened under his fingers, his hips starting to buck up into his husband, demanding friction. Dean’s hand moved from his ass, sliding up and into his waistband, caressing his skin until he felt fingers press into flesh, fingernails biting as well. It made him buck solidly into Dean, who laughed against his throat.

 

“Okay, okay, no more teasing?” Dean spoke softly, but then he was moving, pulling off his clothes, revealing a glorious expanse of tan skin before he tugged at Castiel’s shirt and pants, and pausing for a moment once they were both completely naked. “Mmmm, there’s nothing like a dark forest of chest hair, or olive skin in Maine, or-”

 

“What are you doing?” Castiel interrupted him. Dean smirked wickedly.

 

“And those hips, oh those hips!”

 

Castiel threw a pillow at him, and Dean laughed, unfazed as it bounced off his head and off the side of the bed. Instead he kneaded those same hipbones with his thumbs, and all the blood rushed to Castiel’s dick.

 

“You know what I want to do to these hips?” Dean purred.

 

“I’ll hit you with another pillow,” Castiel threatened him.

 

“Huh. So objectification is one sided in this marriage?” Dean bent down and licked one hipbone that jutted out, and nibbled along the other before nosing his way into Castiel’s pubic hair. Castiel sucked a deep breath in as Dean’s nose traced along his growing cock, his tongue sliding out to lick the slit at the end, and he started thrusting up again, trying to engage Dean in more than just teasing. Which he was still doing despite his earlier promise.

 

“You are the biggest cock tease ever,” Castiel panted. Dean laughed, and instead of replying, began licking down Castiel, bobbing up and down, covering him with his mouth, and Castiel felt his eyes roll back in his head. His hips snapped up, over and over of their own accord, and Dean’s mouth responded, his tongue swirling as he moved up and down, his hands still gripping onto Castiel’s hip bones, trying to control their rhythm. Castiel stared at the ceiling without seeing it, his mind firmly on his new husband, the building tension knotting his stomach. And then it released, and Castiel sank into his mattress as Dean crawled back up the bed. He just managed to focus on those pretty green eyes as Dean smiled at him.

 

“I’ve missed you way too much.”

 

“I’ve missed you too. You were the best drunken choice I’ve ever made.”

 

Dean snorted with laughter and collapsed onto him, and Castiel embraced the weight and warmth of his husband.

 

“And you were the best drunk choice I ever made. Thanks for not letting your cat in here as well. That would have sucked.”

 

“Nope, I have a rule about that in my bedroom,” Castiel said nonchalantly. “No pussies.”

 

Dean laughed again, and Castiel joined in. When they calmed down, Dean propped himself on an elbow and looked down at him.

 

“I wasn’t joking earlier by the way. You do have amazing hips.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“I mean, they’re no nose freckles, but they definitely make good handles.”

 

Castiel smiled fondly at him.

 

“I didn’t realize you were a dork until just now.”

 

“Your dork. And I’m here for the next few days.”

 

“Are you going to be okay here?” Castiel wanted to know. “I mean, you live in a crowded house, full of people and things to do, and we’re on an island right now and it’s quiet and I live alone and-”

 

“And it sounds perfect, Cas. A break from being babysitter; a chance to actually be with you? What could be better?”

 

“I could think of a few things,” Castiel smirked, and rolled over onto Dean. “I think I need to repay you for a stunning blow job.”


	7. Chapter 7

Dean had spent most of his drive home thinking about the weekend with Castiel. They had spent most of it naked, exploring each others bodies, making the most of the time that they had together, but they had also spent time with Emmanuel - fully clothed - and Castiel had shown him around the island, and introduced him to a few of his other family members.

 

It took everything in him to keep his car pointed back to Kansas, to keep on the gas pedal and make his way back to his family. All he wanted to do was turn back and see his husband, to stay with him and work on their marriage. To see that sincere smile break out on his face when Dean was trying to be funny, to feel those soft lips against his own, to touch those magical hipbones again.

 

He had pulled over more than once and tried to clear his head, to stop thinking about Castiel and turning around, to put what he was expected to do over what he wanted. But it wasn’t easy to keep going; and in the end he didn’t go straight back to his own house. He went to Sam and Eileen’s place, knowing they would already be back from his mother’s house, hoping that would give him the break from his head that he needed. Sam seemed surprised to see him as he opened the door.

 

“You’re back?”

 

“Uh, yeah.” Dean shrugged. Sam stood aside to let him in, and he walked into the sitting room, Sam appearing a few moments later with a couple of bottles of beer, the lids already off. He passed one to Dean without offering it first. “You weren’t expecting to see me?”

 

“I had a few visions.” Sam shrugged as though it were no big deal. And while he might have visions often, Dean knew it left his brother exhausted to have them.

 

“Like what?”

 

“I don’t know. Of you in Castiel’s house. Playing pool in the games room, watching football games together. Thankfully nothing where you both got naked. But you seemed happy. You seemed like you belonged up there.”

 

Sam sounded slightly wistful, and Dean wasn’t sure if it was the scene he was painting or if it was from picturing Castiel’s home. His place had been nice, Dean had been impressed. And sure, he had pictured living there, coming home from a hard day’s work and falling into Castiel’s arms. But reality butted that fantasy away.

 

“Yeah, well, Mom still needs help,” he shrugged. Sam pushed his long hair back.

 

“Why do you have to be the one to help? Why did she have to take the others in? Like, I know they’re our brothers and sisters but they’re not really anything to do with her. She didn’t have to adopt them and make you help.”

 

“Castiel has a theory on that,” Dean muttered. “About why Mom took them all in. He said, because they’re all a part Dad, its a little bit like having him to cling onto. Like she doesn’t have to say goodbye.”

 

“And you don’t have to put your life on hold for them,” Sam said gently. “Charlie’s twenty, Adam’s nineteen. Charlie could buy her own place. Adam could live at college. Claire and Alfie are nearly old enough now, and I know you’re never over it when Lisa’s bringing Ben over or picking him up.”

 

“Of course I am.”

 

“You hid in the closet last time.”

 

Sam’s powers could be really irritating.

 

“I was playing hide and seek with Mary,” Dean said arrogantly. Sam took it in stride.

 

“Well, I’m telling you, one of these days you’re going to visit him, and never come back. He’ll make Manny look after his cat and you’ll be there. And Eileen would prefer the blue guest room when we visit.”

 

It was slightly unnerving to hear Sam talk as though he knew Castiel or Emmanuel, especially as Dean knew Sam had seen it all, the allergic reaction and Castiel’s panic, and the tour around the house.

 

“It was hard driving home,” he admitted. “It’s stupid, but it just feels right being around him. Even though I barely know him.”

 

Sam clapped a hand on his shoulder, and he tried to kill the moment by swigging his beer.

 

“That’s how I felt about Eileen. Even before we met, when it was just visions of her. And sometimes we’ll be doing something normal, like talking as we do laundry and I would have had a premonition about it and it’s weird to have that deja vu, but so good too. I can’t imagine being without her now.”

 

Dean merely looked at his drink label, and started to peel it back slightly.

 

“Yeah, well. We’ll see what happens. I won’t rush into anything.”

 

Sam nodded, and drank from his own bottle, thankfully not pointing out that Dean had at least rushed into marriage. He sank into the sofa and thought about that first moment that Castiel had come into his life. Of how he had been looking at the chips he had just put down, and the guy next to him did the same, then turned to him like he’d said something. How they had looked at each other for the longest moment and Dean hadn’t been sure if his heart or his dick was getting more blood flow. How Castiel had broken the moment by declaring to anyone even remotely close by about his eyes, and his freckles, and his mouth, and Dean couldn’t believe how surreal the moment was. How he had tried to play it cool and Castiel had just been so funny, and so excited by life.

 

The Castiel he had spent the weekend with was more sober, but equally as intoxicating. He had cooked a meal the first night, and dressed up the dining room. He had shown Dean some of the things he had made for his clients that he was proud of. They had walked hand in hand along the nearby shore of the main land to the marina and eaten at a seafood restaurant there. And they had talked endlessly, even though they had practically nothing in common. When Dean showed his enthusiasm for a classic mustang someone else owned, Castiel hadn’t given him a polite-yet-vacant look or changed the subject. Instead, he had asked for more information, and smiled at Dean’s enthusiasm as car talk took over. When it had been Castiel’s turn to talk, he did so with a muted passion that let Dean know they were on the same page where it mattered.

 

And the Castiel Dean had known in the bedroom was something else. But those thoughts were for when he was alone, when he could let them in without worrying about an audience.

 

“If you ever need to talk Dean, before or after you move up there, you know I’m here for you, right?” Sam broke into his thoughts. “Even if you wanna drink a beer and not talk, I can do that.”

 

Dean nodded.

 

“Thanks Sammy.”

 

 

Another beer later, Dean was pulling into his own driveway, a strange feeling of dread coming over him. He didn’t want to walk into that house and have to argue with teenagers, or give piggyback rides to little kids, or deal with Adam ignoring him in their own bedroom. He noticed a car on the driveway that didn’t belong to them and wondered if Charlie had upgraded her moped, or Adam was using it, or if Alfie and Claire had a new car to share. He soon got his answer as he stepped into the house and found his mother in the kitchen, sharing a coffee with Mary’s teacher. Mr Ketch. Dean tried to ignore him the best he could, even as the guy with the fake British accent gave him the stink eye. He always did.

 

“Hello, Dean.” His mother gave him an unsure smile. “Did you just get back?”

 

“Uh-huh.” He gave her a kiss on the forehead. “You want me to cook dinner?”

 

“It’s fine. Besides, Mary is at Tammy-May’s, Ben’s still at his mom’s, Charlie’s working late and Adam’s out with college friends. Alfie’s bringing food back, we’re all good.”

 

On the one hand, it was a relief not to be needed by his family, but on the other hand … he could have had more time with Castiel.

 

“Okay. Um, I’m gonna go unpack, I guess,” he shrugged, and left the kitchen without another word. As the door closed he could hear Mr Ketch speaking, and his mother laughing, and he swallowed down the bile that rose with that interaction. He jogged up the stairs, grateful to have the bedroom to himself for once, and immediately Facetimed Castiel, who answered on the first ring.

 

“Dean!” He smiled widely, his cat in his arms as he beamed into the camera. “Manny had a feeling you were going to call. Did you get home okay?”

 

“Yeah. I went to see Sam first, and I just got back. All the kids are out and Mom’s in the kitchen with Mary’s teacher.”

 

“Oh.” Castiel frowned as he fussed his cat, who nuzzled against his neck. It was so endearing that Dean felt even worse for sneezing her out of her own house. “Is Mary in trouble?”

 

“I don’t think so. She’s at her friend’s house.”

 

“That’s what I meant, maybe your mother made everyone leave the house for a reason.”

 

There was a beat of silence as Dean realized that was probably what had happened. And then he groaned in complete frustration.

 

“Great. I miss you like crazy already and I could have stayed with you for a couple more days if I’d known.”

 

“It won’t be long until we see each other again,” Castiel reminded him gently.

 

“We’re married. I should see you every day.”

 

Castiel gave him a doe-eyed look.

 

“It will happen, Dean. And hopefully it will happen soon. But you have a lot of responsibility and I have ties here. Who gives up their life? Do we both do it? I know we jumped into this, but we don’t have to rush everything.”

 

Dean looked around at the room he shared with his half-brother.

 

“At least I’d like sharing with you.” He ran a hand down his face, and tried to be more positive. “So, what’s the plan for tonight?”

 

“Just going to bed. But I promised Manny I’d read through his manuscript tomorrow.”

 

“Sounds fun,” Dean deadpanned. Castiel smirked.

 

“It won’t be so bad. He writes well, I just don’t entirely agree on the subject matter. And before I forget, my Dad’s having a barbecue next weekend. I’d love to properly introduce you to my family, if you can get away?”

 

“I’ll be there,” Dean promised.

 

“I can’t wait.” Castiel gave that adorable smile. “I’d better go to sleep, Dean. Miss you.”

 

“Love you.”

 

“Love you.” Castiel cut the connection, and Dean flopped back against his pillow, just as he heard whispering and giggling and footsteps hurrying upstairs and along the hall. The whispering sounded like a man’s voice and a woman’s voice. And then there was a door slam. Dean got up, and went to check in Claire’s room, just in case his half-sister was dragging a boy home with her. Her light was off, the room was empty. The giggling was coming from his mother’s room, and he didn’t think before he swung the door open … to find his mother in there with Mr Ketch, clothes missing and both of them lost in the moment. He shut the door again instantly, wanting the image burned from his eyes. Again, he had the thought - he gave up time with Castiel for _this_?!


	8. Chapter 8

Castiel sat on his front porch with Emmanuel and Daphne, his cat, waiting for Dean’s car to show up along the horizon. He felt like a little kid who had been promised Disneyland, or a teenager waiting to hear what college they were going to. Yes, he and Dean spoke every day, usually on Facetime so he could see those beautiful lips and wonderful freckles. But it wasn’t the same as having him there. Emmanuel placed a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Calm down. I’m worried you’re going to have a heart attack.”

 

“Sorry, it’s just … Dean.”

 

“I know.” Emmanuel smiled, and took Daphne from him. “You’ll want to get rid of her fur before you hug him.”

 

Castiel brushed himself off, and looked up at the sound of an engine. But it was just their cousin Anna, driving into her carport.

 

“Castiel,” Emmanuel sounded more serious than usual, if that were even possible. “What’s going to happen with Dean?”

 

“What do you mean?” Castiel used a lint roller, which was far more effective than his own hands.

 

“I mean, it must be a strain on your marriage to be separated for so much time. When will you decide what’s going to happen?”

 

“I don’t know, Manny. He helps look after his half siblings, but then I couldn’t leave you. Would you be willing to move to Kansas?”

 

“It’s not my marriage,” Emmanuel said softly.

 

“No, but you are my twin. How would I go without you for very long?”

 

Emmanuel smiled, and buried himself in Daphne’s fur just as Dean’s car appeared up the road. They watched as Dean pulled into the driveway with ease, and Castiel stood up, heading down the porch steps before Dean even cut the engine. He pulled open Dean’s door, and Dean laughed as Castiel tugged him out for a hug.

 

“Hey, you,” Dean purred into his shoulder.

 

“Dean,” he sighed, and melted into his husband’s arms. The world could have ended right then and Castiel wouldn’t even notice, because Dean’s embrace was his idea of Heaven. Fortunately, Dean didn’t seem to be in any hurry to end their embrace either, but he did start talking to Emmanuel.

 

“Hey Manny, you don’t have to go.”

 

“I know you’re allergic. Daphne will be fine with me.”

 

Castiel turned as his brother took his cat to the next house, and Dean kissed the edge of his jaw.

 

“Ahhh, so Manny lives next door.”

 

“Yes. He likes his solitude but he also stays close to me. And I don’t like leaving him alone. Living next door to each other was better for both of us than sharing.”

 

Dean didn’t respond, and when Castiel looked at him, he was smiling softly.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing. I just like how you are with him. How he is with you.”

 

“Just wait until this barbecue,” Castiel sighed. “With Gabriel winding Manny up and my cousins being obnoxious about everything.”

 

“Obnoxious?” Dean gasped, and squeezed Castiel against him. “Have you met Adam? Or Claire?”

 

Castiel laughed, and pressed a kiss against his mouth.

 

“Wait until Anna and Naomi sit there and question you to death over your intentions.”

 

Dean’s eyes flickered down to his mouth and back.

 

“How honest can I be without embarrassing you?”

 

Castiel kissed him again, pushing him up against the Impala. They kissed for a few happy moments before Dean made him move back.

 

“Maybe we should get in the house?”

 

Castiel smiled sheepishly, and stood aside while Dean grabbed his duffle bag from the back seat, and they walked hand-in-hand into Castiel’s house.

 

“How long are you here for?” Castiel asked. Dean dropped his bag on the floor.

 

“Geez, Cas, I just got here! You trying to get rid of me already?”

 

“I want to savor every second you’re here. I just want to prepare myself for when you go.”

 

Dean crashed onto the couch, smiling easily.

 

“Good answer.” He sprawled out across the sofa. “Honey, get me a beer.”

 

“Who do you think you are, my old man?” Castiel shot back. Dean shrugged.

 

“I’ll take my top off?”

 

Castiel rolled his eyes but headed into the kitchen and got them both drinks. He returned to the front room to find Dean naked, a cushion covering his groin as he posed against the upholstery.

 

“Like what you see?”

 

Castiel leaned against the doorframe and sipped one of the beers.

 

“Lose the cushion.”

 

Dean did, flipping it onto the floor, and Castiel set both bottles onto the table, and then peeled off his own clothes as Dean watched. He had never been particularly voyeuristic, but there was something about being like this with Dean that was liberating. He picked the bottles up again, giving Dean the full one and sipping from his own as he straddled his husband. He had forgotten what it felt like, to have this kind of contact with Dean, to feel that warm skin against his own, those well-sculptured muscles flexing underneath him. Dean leaned up on one elbow, draining his own drink, and Castiel watched the hypnotic movement of his Adam’s apple. Dean was watching him, he could feel the burn of his gaze, and then they were putting their drinks down hastily and crashing together. Castiel could taste the beer on Dean’s tongue, could feel the urgency of the man beneath him and he felt that sensation again, the kind of excitement that was hard to control, impossible to channel. They had only been separated for a few days, and yet it was like they’d been apart for years. He felt Dean’s hand slipping down, grazing against his balls, coming up to massage his cock, and he began to brace himself over his husband. Dean’s hand wrapped around the base of his cock, and inched its way upward. Then back down. And back up. Dean kept the rhythm going, speeding up and increasing the pressure until Castiel broke off their kisses, panting above him, watching Dean’s hand as he felt the pressure build. His arms were beginning to shake, he closed his eyes and tried to concentrate, to make it last, until he felt himself release all over Dean, and then he collapsed onto his husband.

 

“You’re amazing,” he panted into Dean’s ear.

 

“Been dreaming of touching you since I left last time,” Dean muttered back.

 

Castiel tried to get his breath back, and the strength in his arms. Finally he pushed up again, and started tracing his fingers across Dean’s freckled chest.

 

“Is it bad I want you to stay? For good?”

 

Dean wrapped both arms around his torso.

 

“No. I want to stay. I want to just have sex with my husband and to hell with reality.”

 

Castiel kissed a pink nipple.

 

“Ignoring reality to have this with you would be nice, but we’d only be pushing back a tough decision. I know you feel responsible for your siblings.”

 

“So do you.”

 

“Hmmm, but Manny is an adult. Mary, Ben, Claire and Alfie are not.”

 

“Manny is your twin, your full brother. Mary, Ben, Claire and Alfie are not.”

 

“Well, what does Sam say? You said he has visions. Did he see anything concerning us?”

 

“Yeah. He saw us living together. He said it was here.”

 

They stayed quiet for a moment, before Dean sighed.

 

“Mom’s seeing someone.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Mr Ketch. They’ve been sending the kids elsewhere and hooking up while I’ve been at work.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah. She was so caught up on Dad, she has all these rules that stop Charlie and Adam and me bringing someone back, and then she does that.”

 

Castiel kissed his forehead softly.

 

“You can always come here. Any time you need. I’ll get a key made for you, and then you can just show up. Daphne can live with Manny. And we’ll find you some work out here.”

 

Castiel knew it sounded like he was doing a complete U-turn, but he was hoping Dean would think rationally.

 

“There’s a mechanic out here?”

 

“Actually, there isn’t. Last one closed down, the nearest one is about thirty miles away on the main land.”

 

Dean sat up, pushing Castiel into a kneeling position.

 

“So, okay, I move here permanently, and open my own garage. You got boats out here, right, so I’ll mend those too. And you can do all your graphic stuff while I’m at the shop and then we can have the evenings to ourselves.”

 

It sounded so simple. But there was a flaw.

 

“Okay, but … you’ll have to go back there at least one more time, Dean. You have to give your boss notice. You have to tell your mom. And you have to get your stuff.”

 

Dean nodded like it wouldn’t be an issue, and Castiel grinned.

 

“You’re moving in.”

 

“I’m moving in.”

 

Castiel threw himself at Dean, who laughed as they slammed against each other.

 

“Wait, maybe we should clean up first! And then celebrate properly?”

 

Castiel then remembered the mess he had left between the two of them.

 

“Yeah, okay. Good idea. I’ll just go for a shower.”

 

He peeled himself off Dean slowly, and Dean ran as soon as they came unstuck, heading up to the bathroom before him.

 

“Dean!” Castiel moaned, and chased him, catching the bathroom door before Dean could close it. They play fought towards the bathtub where the shower attachment stood, and ended up getting into the tub together, standing close beside each other as Castiel started the water running. He shot a blast of cold water at Dean, who held him under the stream until it warmed. And then he was covering Castiel’s shoulders and neck with tiny light kisses, brushing his way along skin.

 

“I can’t come again for a while, Dean,” Castiel whispered.

 

“Not trying to do that.” Dean gave a charming smile, and pushed Castiel’s wet hair out of the way. “Just showing my husband how much he means to me.”

 

Castiel grinned goofily, and grabbed the shower gel, offering it to Dean first.

 

 

They had been in their own world for twenty-four hours, but unfortunately they had to rejoin the real world for Castiel’s father’s barbecue.

 

It was in a large house near the bay, and Castiel had insisted they walked the short distance to the house. Dean had grumbled that Baby was made to show off, and once Castiel established that he was talking about the car he had made a good argument. He felt a sense of indignant righteousness when they turned a corner and found the road blocked off with parked cars.

 

“Um, what?” Dean blinked, and nearly dropped the green bean casserole Castiel had insisted they make. “This island is tiny. How much family do you have?”

 

“Not that many. A lot of these people will be friends or colleagues of my father who’ve driven over from the main land. Dad is fairly renown in his field.”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

“What?”

 

“You talk that way when you’re drunk and trying to prove you’re still sober. What are you being so cagey about?”

 

Castiel sighed.

 

“Dean, my father is Chuck Novak.”

 

Dean shrugged.

 

“Chuck Novak? Has a couple of aliases? Like Chuck Shirley, or Carver Edlund?”

 

“That guy? That guy made you?”

 

Castiel sighed.

 

“Here we go.”

 

“Wait, I mean, my mom reads those books. She says they’re better than Mills and Boone. Charlie read one out to us once, it was like horror porn.”

 

“I’m aware.”

 

“So like, was that stuff he did with your mom?”

 

“Dean!”

 

“He did a book about psychic twins once, was that about you? You and Manny? Because I gotta tell you, he crossed some lines.”

 

Castiel put a hand over Dean’s mouth; grateful that Dean’s hands were full of the casserole dish.

 

“Actually, some other twins I went to high school with. But not the point. No more questions about my dad’s novels, no asking him about his novels, no telling him your mom watches the movie adaptations alone in her room when she thinks you’re all asleep and can’t hear the vibrator.”

 

Dean raised his eyebrows.

 

“And no sassing me back, got it?” Dean nodded, and Castiel removed his hand.

 

“I like it when you take charge. Makes me want you more.”

 

“Is that even possible?”

 

“Look, stop being nervous, it’s going to be fine. I know how to behave when other people are around. They’ll love me.”

 

Castiel gave him a sideways glance but didn’t contradict him. He thought that it was likely that Dean was trying to psyche himself up. Especially with the new knowledge of Castiel’s family.

 

“So, you ever make the covers for your dad’s books?”

 

“The Chuck ones. Not the Carver ones.”

 

“Good call.”

 

“What, are you jealous?”

 

“Of Fabio Junior? Please.”

 

“Good, because he’s over there.” Castiel pointed to his father’s porch, which was crammed with people. Dean shifted the casserole dish to one side, and freed a hand to put around Castiel’s waist possessively. Castiel rolled his eyes even though he still felt a thrill from that action. “Sure, you’re not jealous.”

 

“It’s okay, he’ll taste the green bean casserole and know he’s beaten.”

 

“Uh-huh. I made that.”

 

Dean planted a wet kiss on his cheek as they got closer to the house, and Castiel sighed dramatically.

 

“Here I was, worried my family would embarrass me in front of you. I’m a fool, because it should have been the other way around.”

 

“You love it and you know it.” Dean smirked, and Castiel took the dish from him, to put it on a table crammed with food.

 

“Hi,” Castiel’s cousin, Anna breathed, eyeing Dean ashamedly. “So, you’re Castiel’s Vegas guy?”

 

“Please, Castiel’s Vegas guy is my father’s name. I’m Dean.”

 

Castiel rolled his eyes again.

 

“I thought your dad’s name was John?”

 

Dean winked back at him. He shook his head.

 

“That’s my cousin, Anna.”

 

“Hi, cousin Anna.” Dean smirked. Anna smiled back with a flirtatious glint in her eyes.

 

“You can call me Anna. Or call me later.”

 

Castiel coughed pointedly, and Dean pulled him in close.

 

“Sorry, I’m all about my man. Try with someone else, cousin Anna.”

 

Anna flounced away, her red hair swinging as she crossed the yard, and Castiel poked Dean.

 

“What was that?”

 

“Revenge for Fabio Junior. Please, Cas, no one else appreciates my lips like you do.” He looked around at Castiel’s family, and bent his head closer. “Um, so do they know? About us?”

 

“Gabriel has a big mouth. They know what he knows.”

 

“And your family is fine with it?”

 

“Providing you’re good for me and don’t flirt with my cousins? Sure.”

 

Dean looked back up at him.

 

“I think there’s a hint in there somewhere.”

 

“I’m flat out telling you, do not flirt with my cousins.”

 

“What about Fabio Junior?”

 

“Dean.” Castiel’s tone was a warning.

 

“Cas, you’re greener than the casserole. Come on; introduce me to your crazy uncle. Or your dad. Or punish me by leaving me with Gabriel while you have a bunch of in-jokes with some other family members.”

 

“Now there’s an idea.” Castiel smiled, and felt himself thawing. “Fine. My dad’s the guy by the barbecue with the fire extinguisher, the nervous one. Play nice.”

 

They approached Chuck, who was toying with the hose on the fire extinguisher as Gabriel poured a generous amount of fire starter onto the flames of the grill.

 

“Gabriel,” he was complaining. “I don’t think that’s wise, you could burn down the entire island.”

 

“It’ll be fine dad,” Gabriel waved a spatula dismissively. “You said you wanted the steaks well done.”

 

“Dad?” Castiel interrupted quietly. Both Chuck and Gabriel turned together, and their gaze immediately fell to Dean. “This is Dean, the man I met in Vegas.”

 

Chuck eyed him hesitantly, not quite making eye contact.

 

“The man you married. You know, I really thought that was one of Gabriel’s jokes when he told us.”

 

“Not a joke,” Castiel murmured, and Dean stepped closer, already in protective mode.

 

“I know, it’s a little out of the blue for Castiel, isn’t it?” He gave a smirk. “Believe me, it wasn’t my normal game plan either. But Castiel’s one of the best things to happen to me. I guess I should thank you for, you know, creating him.”

 

Chuck glanced at Castiel, and back to Dean. It happened a few times, before he gave a weak laugh.

 

“Right. Okay. Am I being Punk’d?”

 

Castiel reached across and held up Dean’s hand, the wedding ring glinting in the afternoon sun.

 

“No. We’re married. We’re happy. Dad, we’re going to try to make it work.”

 

Chuck looked around, and then back to Castiel.

 

“What does Emmanuel say about this?”

 

Castiel smiled dreamily.

 

“Ask him yourself.”

 

Chuck sighed, and glanced back at Dean, still not making eye contact.

 

“Well, if you make Castiel happy, then welcome to the family, I guess. Gabriel, what are you doing now?”

 

Chuck stepped forward to interrupt whatever Gabriel was doing to the grill, and Castiel took Dean aside.

 

“That could have gone better,” Dean admitted.

 

“No, my father gets anxious. He can write people incredibly well, but put him in front of a real person,” Castiel shook his head. “Trust me, he wasn’t disapproving of you. He just didn’t know what to say.”

 

Dean didn’t look pacified, and Castiel stepped closer, sliding both arms around his husband.

 

“Suffer this just a little longer, please. And I’ll make it up to you.”

 

“It’s not the barbecue, Cas. It just sucks that my mom doesn’t approve and your dad doesn’t seem to like me very much.”

 

Castiel kissed him with sudden urgency, and it took a few moments before Dean melted into his arms, kissing him back just as passionately.

“Dad likes you. It’s not you. And I love you, and that’s what counts.”

 

 

After a few beers, and a couple of burgers, Dean and Castiel had both begun to relax. Castiel’s cousins had loved the opportunity to tell Dean all the embarrassing stories of his childhood that they could recall. The sun had started to dip in the sky and they found themselves around a fire near the end of the garden, sharing a chair and a blanket as Anna and another cousin, Naomi, made everyone s’mores.

 

Chuck, Castiel’s shy father, had played a few folk songs on an acoustic guitar as Dean and Castiel shared a bottle of whisky, both of them feeling warm and content as they held each other, Dean on Castiel’s lap. Gabriel had taken the guitar, and was playing as Fabio Junior – whose real name was apparently Baldur –crooned along, and Chuck leaned closer to his middle son.

 

“Castiel, Dean,” his eyes flickered about nervously, not quite meeting either man. Eventually he settled on watching a burning log. Castiel gave Dean’s wrist a small squeeze while they waited for whatever Chuck had to say. Dean knew that his father-in-law was a nervous man, so he tried to exercise the same patience and not hurry the conversation along.

 

“I was a little nervous when you told me you were married,” he chuckled softly, and Dean smiled when Castiel did, getting that it had meant to be a joke. “And meeting you too, Dean. Castiel talks so highly of you. But I can see why. It’s like you’ve always been here.”

 

Castiel grinned widely, and Dean burrowed closer to his husband.

 

“Thanks, Chuck.” He passed the whisky bottle to Castiel, and slipped an arm around his waist. “I feel like that too. I was always married to Cas, right?”

 

Chuck gave his son a nervous look, but Castiel’s smile didn’t falter.

 

“I know, I know, he’s really cheesy. But if that isn’t one of his biggest draws …”

 

“Does your dad know how we met? Because flowers and drink umbrellas in your hair shouting about how much you like my freckles wasn’t me being cheesy. That was you.”

 

“I was adorable.”

 

“I’m not arguing about that.”

 

Castiel reached up for a kiss, pulling their blanket tighter around Dean’s shoulders.

 

“Well, you make Castiel happy. Welcome to the family, Dean.”

 

He held out his beer bottle, and Dean reached across with the whisky bottle, clinking them softly together.

 

“Thanks, Chuck.”

 

“Dad. You can call me Dad.”

 

Dean grinned widely, curling tight against Castiel’s body as Gabriel and Baldur’s song drifted into silence.

 

“Thanks, Dad.”


	9. Chapter 9

Dean drove back to Kansas, feeling more content than the last time he had headed back home. It was possibly because Castiel was in the passenger seat, a bag of his belongings in the back. It hadn’t originally been the plan for Castiel to come back with him, but when it had come time to say goodbye they had both struggled, until Dean had joked that Castiel come and help him pack, and Castiel had leaped at the chance.

 

They talked during the drive, about how to go forward. They agreed that Dean should quit his job, and Castiel would help pack all his belongings as he worked his notice. And that should Mary’s rules get to be too much, they would take some personal time at Sam’s place. Dean was hoping that Sam and Eileen wouldn’t mind them doing that; they knew how restrictive the rules could be. They knew as well as Dean did that Mary was trying to stop Claire finding a loophole and abusing the system, so anything more than a peck on the mouth was out. Still, that didn’t mean that Sam and Eileen would condone Dean and Castiel using their house to hook up.

 

Castiel was so understanding of the situation that Dean could feel a strong buzzing in his chest as he drove. How was he meant to keep his hands to himself when Castiel was so wonderful?

 

They finally pulled up at the Winchester’s house, and Dean sat back in the driver’s seat. Castiel reached across and put his hand on Dean’s gently.

 

“It won’t be long, Dean.”

 

“I know.” He sounded choked.

 

“We won’t see them as often as you’re used to soon, value it.”

 

Dean looked across the seat at those pretty blue eyes.

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Are you okay? Do you need more time? Or do you wanna renegotiate?”

 

“You trying to talk me out of this?”

 

“No. Of course not. But I feel like I’m being selfish and taking you away from your family. I just want you to be sure of this decision.”

 

“I am. It’s going to be a long two weeks with my family though.”

 

“Well, you know, our relationship is based on a lot more than sex.”

 

Dean laughed.

 

“Yeah, built on a healthy foundation of you being drunk out of your mind and me being allergic to your cat.”

 

“All the best marriages are.”

 

Dean rubbed his thumb against Castiel’s palm gently.

 

“I actually wasn’t thinking about sex. I was thinking about how Mom’s going to take the news, how the others are all going to react, that kind of thing.”

 

Castiel nodded slowly.

 

“It might be awful, you’re changing the way your family functions. But I’m here for you every step of the way, and if it’s easier to stay, we can change the plan.”

 

“People around here won’t be very welcoming when it comes to two guys … you know.”

 

Castiel gave another slow nod.

 

“Dean, I want to live with you. I don’t want to be too far from Manny. But otherwise, take your time and do what you need to do, okay?”

 

He leaned across the upholstery and planted a soft kiss on Dean’s cheek.

 

“Maybe we should get out of the car?”

 

“Right,” Dean let go of a deep breath, and pushed open his door, climbing out and stretching his legs before heading over to the front door, Castiel walking behind him. They walked into the house, and were greeted by silence. Dean checked his watch.

 

“It’s after school.” He peeked into the den, and the family room, and then the kitchen. “The hell is everyone?”

 

“Could they have gone somewhere together?”

 

Dean snorted a laugh as they heard bedsprings moving above them. They looked up together, then at each other.

 

“Charlie?” Castiel guessed hopefully.

 

“Nope. Charlie prefers the creek. Adam has gaming buddies but doesn’t have a girlfriend so far as I know. Alfie sticks to the rules. Claire’s our best bet. Or-” Dean closed his eyes as though he could shut the thought out. “They’ve all been shoved out the house and Mary’s teacher’s over.”

 

Castiel cringed in response. Dean led the way to the base of the stairs and hollered upwards.

 

“Mom? You home? I brought Cas with me.”

 

The bedsprings stopped, and there were some thumps before Dean’s mother appeared on the landing with her hair awry. She knotted a bathrobe around her waist and hurried halfway down the stairs.

 

“I didn’t expect you back so soon,” she began to blush. “It’s good to see you again, Cas.”

 

“Where are the kids?”

 

“Charlie took Mary out for ice cream. Ben’s still at his mom’s. Alfie and Adam and Claire went mall-hopping or something.”

 

Dean leaned against the stair railing casually.

 

“So, you’re catching a nap?”

 

Mary raked her fingers through her hair, and Dean raised an eyebrow, feeling Castiel hovering uncertainly behind him.

 

“Mr Ketch is here,” he said flatly.

 

“Dean,” his mother started defensively. Dean merely raised his hands in the air and walked away, back into the kitchen. Castiel followed him in quickly, and Mary walked in a few moments later, still toying with her hair. “What was that?”

 

“I believe it was you being a total hypocrite,” he shrugged. “Wouldn’t you say, Cas?”

 

Castiel looked stunned to be dragged into the conversation.

 

“I don’t, I mean,” he flustered.

 

“Dean, that’s not fair and you know it. The kids aren’t here and he’s not staying the night. And it’s been seven years since I lost John. I don’t have to get your approval.”

 

“I know it’s been seven years since Dad died,” Dean said quietly. “Seven years since I moved back in, seven years since I’ve been your live-in babysitter. Seven years I put my life on hold. Maybe we’re both at breaking point.”

 

There was a brief period of silence between the three of them.

 

“Dean,”

 

“I’m moving in with Cas.”

 

Mary looked at Castiel briefly.

 

“You’ve just started seeing each other.”

 

“He lives up in Maine, Mom. Do you know how hard it is to be away from him? What if you found out Dad hadn’t died and he lived up there? What would you do?”

 

“That’s different, Dean. I’m not ready to lose you as well.”

 

“You wouldn’t be losing me, I just wouldn’t live here.”

 

“Dean,” she sighed, and put her head in one hand. “You and Sam, you’re my only link to those kids. It would be weird to have them here without you.”

 

“You didn’t have to take them on.”

 

“I couldn’t turn them away. You wouldn’t have turned them away either.”

 

Dean nodded, and stepped closer to Castiel.

 

“Sam and Eileen are only a little way up the road. They can help, you know that. But I’ve got to give my marriage a shot.”

 

Mary rubbed her temples.

 

“What, you hate Cas?”

 

“I barely know him, Dean. But this is too much to deal with right now, and I should,” she looked towards the door.

 

“Oh, sorry, you’re right. Go finish banging Mary’s teacher. I’m going to go quit my job.”

 

Dean walked out, leaving Castiel in the room with his mother.

 

 

Castiel had felt awkward throughout the entire exchange between Dean and his mother. He hadn’t been expecting Dean to leave the room, and now he didn’t know what to do with himself. Did he follow Dean out and wait in the car while Dean handed in his notice? He was still hesitating when Mary looked at him.

 

“I don’t hate you.”

 

“Thank you.” Castiel felt even more awkward. How did you react to that statement?

 

“I mean it. I have those rules in place because I’ve adopted every one of Dean’s half brothers and sisters, and they monitor me. I’m trying to keep the place running so they still have a home. It’s not their fault what happened.”

 

“I never took it personally,” Castiel demurred.

 

“But I still have needs, just like Dean does. It wasn’t his first trip to Vegas, you know.” She leaned against the counter.

 

“He just needs some time to calm down.” Castiel tried. “He’s been worried about telling you, I don’t think he was planning to do it quite this way.”

 

Mary nodded as the kitchen door creaked open, and the man who must be Mr Ketch walked in, a towel wrapped around his waist.

 

“Mary? What’s the hold up?” He spotted Castiel. “Is this your next guy?”

 

“No, this is my son-in-law. Castiel.” Mary was blushing again. “I’ll be back up in a moment.”

 

“Okay,” Mr Ketch made to leave, and then turned back. “I thought you had sons?”

 

Mary coughed pointedly.

 

“Dean’s husband. Castiel, perhaps you could wait for Dean in the basement? There’s a TV down there.”

 

“I have some work projects to do, I’ll start on those.” Castiel forced a smile, and walked down the route Dean had shown him to the basement, pretending he didn’t hear Mr Ketch’s comments on his marriage to Dean. He sank onto the sofa and ran a hand through his hair. He hadn’t imagined that Mary would be so understanding, but everything seemed so much more complicated all of a sudden. He felt a pang of longing for Dean, and hoped he would come straight home from quitting work. In the mean time, he was going to make himself work on his projects.

 

 

Dean returned home calmer than he was when he had left. Bobby, his boss, had been understanding, though he hadn’t told Bobby everything. The house was once again quiet when he walked in, though when he went looking he found his mother in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee.

 

“Oh. Hey.” He shrugged, and immediately turned to leave the room.

 

“Dean? Can we talk before you get stuck to Castiel’s side again?”

 

Dean made a noise of irritation, but stomped over and sat in a kitchen chair opposite his mother.

 

“What’s your problem with Cas anyway?”

 

“I don’t have a problem with Castiel. I don’t even know him. I’ve met him twice and he hasn’t been very forthcoming either time, but I’m going to put that down to him not being used to so many people.”

 

“So, what, you’re going to talk me out of my marriage?”

 

Mary took a sip of her coffee.

 

“No. I’m not. Was I surprised when you said you had married a stranger? Of course I was. But I appreciate that you’re both putting the effort in to making it work. Maybe you should let me talk instead of making all these defensive accusations.”

 

Dean sat back in his seat and gestured at her.

 

“Thank you.” She took another sip of her drink. “How long are you both here until you finally move to Maine?”

 

“Two weeks.”

 

“Okay. How many shifts do you have until then?”

 

“Six.”

 

“So there’ll be times when you and Castiel are home during the day together?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“During those times, I will give you privacy. The rules won’t exist. So long as you obey them at all other times. I think I’m being fair here, Dean.”

 

Dean just stared at her. He didn’t actually want to discuss his physical relationship with his mother.

 

“And in return, if I ask you to find other places to be because Mr Ketch is visiting, I want you both to respect that.”

 

Dean gave a small nod, wanting his mother to change the subject quickly.

 

“And Dean? I’ll miss you.”

 

He looked down at the knees of his jeans rather than respond.

 

“I mean it. You were my little man growing up, and when you got that apartment it wasn’t so far away and now you’re going to be halfway across the country. I’ve loved having you back home.”

 

“We’ll still come see you guys. You can still visit.”

 

“The kids would like that. Do you live near the ocean?”

 

He looked up at her, noting the way she had asked. Not did Castiel live near the ocean, but Dean himself. She was letting go.

 

“Well, it’s an island, you get to it by boat. There’s some beach and some cliffs. Good for fishing and stuff, you know?”

 

“Alfie would love fishing. Adam might even enjoy it too. And fresh Maine lobster,” she smiled dreamily. “It would be nice to see your house and stay up there a few days.”

 

“Well,” Castiel’s voice came from behind Dean, and he turned to see his husband at the top of the basement stairs. “My brother Manny lives next door, there’s plenty of room for everyone. Maybe Dean and I could renew our vows some time, and everyone could visit then? My father was upset to miss the wedding too.”

 

“Isn’t renewing vows a thing people do when they’ve been married longer than ten minutes?” Dean smirked.

 

“Perhaps, but we did marry on a spur of the moment. If we renew our vows then it shows that we mean them and it gives our families the chance to meet.” Castiel gave Mary a sincere smile. “And I’m so sorry in advance for Gabriel.”

 

Dean laughed, and Castiel rested a hand on his shoulder, still watching Mary.

 

“So, is everything okay?”

 

Mary looked at Dean, who smiled back at her as he pulled Castiel into a hug.

 

“I think it’s going to be.”

 

They heard the front door open and close, and the babble of Dean’s half-brothers and half-sisters as they entered the house.

 

“But you’re going to have to tell them,” Mary nodded to the door, and stood up to begin cooking dinner.


	10. Chapter 10

It was the night before Dean was leaving for Maine with Castiel. Charlie had decided that, as a goodbye, they would all sleep in the living room together. The floor was covered in blankets and pillows and siblings. Mary had been given one of the sofas to sleep on, and Dean’s mother had the other one, and the rest of his half-siblings were gathered on the floor. Even Sam and Eileen were there, squished between Adam and Castiel. Dean was pressed between Castiel and Alfie, with Claire and Ben near their feet, and Charlie by their heads. They had watched a movie and eaten pizza followed by pie, and then Dean’s mother had insisted the lights go off so that Mary and Ben would fall asleep. Her plan didn’t work, especially as there was never going to be any chance that Claire would fall asleep before 9pm and wouldn’t stay quiet either.

 

“So, Dean,” she spoke at a normal volume, ignoring Mary shushing her. “We’re so bad you’re moving out of state, huh?”

 

“Just you,” Adam corrected her.

 

“Adam, Claire, stop it,” the older Mary told them.

 

“It’s not my fault that Cas isn’t local.” Dean answered Claire. “But it’s not like we’re not going to come visit, or have you guys over.”

 

“It sounds boring, where you guys are going to live.”

 

“I suppose it’s very different to here,” Castiel offered up. “But I have a pool table and things. And it’s a nice place to get to know each other better.”

 

“I’m just glad Dean won’t be whispering into his phone every night, it’s hard to get to sleep with that noise going on.” Adam grouched. “Looking forward to having a room to myself finally.”

 

Castiel reached across and took Dean’s hand, squeezing his fingers. Dean squeezed back.

 

“Do you get your own room as well, Dean? When you go live with Castiel?” Mary asked sleepily. Dean sat up slightly, looking across the darkened room to Mary’s little shape on the sofa.

 

“No, sweet pea. I’ll be sharing with Castiel.”

 

“Does he only got one room?”

 

“He has three.” Castiel said.

 

“Why do you gots to share?”

 

“Because we’re married, Mary. It’s what normally happens.”

 

“Because they’ll be having sex,” Claire sniggered.

 

“Claire,” Dean’s mother warned. “She’s too young.”

 

“Geez, _Mom_ , you don’t have to be seven to work out Dean was going to move out when we’re banned from tongue kissing in this place.”

 

“I know about sex,” Mary countered. “But Dean and Castiel can’t have sex.”

 

“Oh, kill me now,” Dean mumbled. Castiel squeezed his hand again.

 

“That’s enough,” their mother warned.

 

“But how can they?” Mary pushed. Claire and Alfie started laughing, and Adam pretended to vomit.

 

“Mary?” Castiel talked over the teenagers. “It’s not about sex. We’ll be sharing because it would be strange to be in different rooms when we’re married, and because it’s nice to hug at night, and because when you guys come over it will be easier for everyone to have a place to stay.”

 

“Okay,” Mary said sleepily. There was silence for a minute or two, and then Adam broke the peace.

 

“So who tops?”

 

“I’m a monk,” Dean grunted, and turned over onto his side. Castiel patted his arm.

 

“No you’re not,” Adam laughed.

 

“Can we not do this? I don’t want to picture it,” Sam sounded irritated.

 

“Do we all have to move out if we want to have sex?” Ben stuck in. “Sam moved out to have sex with Eileen.”

 

“Cas?” Dean spoke up. “Now who’s worse?”

 

“I will always say Gabriel. But good effort by these guys.”

 

“Gabriel needs to step up his game.”

 

“What are you two talking about?” Alfie asked.

 

“Whose siblings are worse. Gabriel is a strong contender between plying Cas with alcohol and being a little spark happy with a barbecue grill, but I think this conversation gives you guys the edge.”

 

“Hey!” Several voices chorused together. Castiel laughed, and Dean joined in.

 

“Maybe stop trying to talk about our sex life?” Dean tried to point out.

 

There was silence for a moment, and then Claire snorted with laughter.

 

“Oh my god, Dean sucks at anal, right?”

 

“Claire, this is meant to be a nice evening saying goodbye to Dean. Stop ruining it.” Mary senior’s voice was hard, and they all knew she had been pushed too far. Claire didn’t apologize but then, she wouldn’t. Instead, everyone started turning over, pounding pillows, rearranging blankets and getting ready to sleep. Dean curled up against Castiel, breathing kisses onto the nape of his neck, and just as sleep started to take a hold of him, a little voice piped up.

 

“What’s anal?”

 

 

Somehow they had survived Mary’s questions about anal sex, and managed to null the topic. One by one, they had all fallen asleep. And when they woke up, they all had breakfast together, Dean and Sam helping Mary senior to organize all the cereals and pancakes and food fads that cropped up.

 

And then breakfast was done, and it was time to pack up the Impala with all of Dean’s belongings. Castiel helped with moving the boxes of CDs and car accessories that he owned, and the bags of clothes that would be coming with them. As they were arranging the last of Dean’s possessions in the car, he felt a tug on his shirt. He turned and saw Charlie standing with her arms folded, chewing on her lip.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Hey.” She gave a brief smile, and then threw her arms around him. He hugged her back, feeling surprised. “I’m gonna miss you, Dean.”

 

“I’ll miss you too,” he said into her hair. “There’s no one in Maine to keep me up to date with Lord of the Rings or KPop.”

 

“There’s no one else around here who’s remotely gay. If there’s any girls up there, give them my picture, okay?”

 

“Deal. And your number?”

 

“Always,” Charlie laughed, but sobered quickly. “Don’t be a stranger, big bro.”

 

He kissed her cheek, and she finally let go, approaching Castiel. Adam stood behind her, and he gave Dean a shrug.

 

“So, you’re definitely going.”

 

“Yeah. Happy room to yourself.”

 

“Thanks. Now if only I could get rid of those pesky rules and bring some girls back.” Adam looked at his feet. “You were okay, for a room mate.”

 

Dean blinked in surprise. Adam wasn’t one to share the warm fuzzies. He didn’t want to make the situation more awkward for his half-brother.

 

“Thanks. Tell Cas that for me.”

 

“Yeah, right. Bye Dean.”

 

“Bye Adam.”

 

Adam sketched a small wave, and then went back to the porch of the house. He was almost immediately replaced by Ben.

 

“I can’t believe you’re going,” Ben told him.

 

“I know kid, it’s kind of unreal, huh?” Dean bent down to Ben’s level. “Be good for my mom, and your mom.”

 

“Wanna know a secret?” Ben replied. Dean nodded, and Ben stepped closer to whisper in his ear. “I wish you had been my dad.”

 

Dean felt a swoop in his stomach, and he fought the urge to react to that comment. Instead, he pulled Ben into a tight hug.

 

“I’m your brother, Ben. That’s got to be good enough.”

 

“You’ve been like a dad since I’ve known you. I don’t want you to go.”

 

“Ben,” Dean held him by the shoulders, and looked him in the eye. “One day you’re going to move out and start your own life too. That’s all I’m doing. You guys will come visit; Cas and me will come back and say hi. And you know you can call.”

 

“Anytime?” Ben checked.

 

“Anytime after school and before bedtime,” Dean agreed. Ben hugged him again, and then joined Charlie as Claire stepped up, smirking.

 

“My time.”

 

“Go on, trouble.”

 

“You love it.”

 

“You do keep it interesting,” Dean agreed, and pulled her into a hug, nuzzling close to whisper through her blonde curls. “If you ever need it, Claire, there’s a place for you with us. You’d still have to go to school and do homework, but it’s an option. Just, no talking about our sex life, okay?”

 

Claire laughed.

 

“You said you were a monk!”

 

“Well, there we go.”

 

She pulled back, smirking at him.

 

“You weren’t so bad, Dean. A little stick-up-your-ass sometimes, but you could be a cool brother.”

 

“I’m honored.”

 

“Yeah. And now you don’t need a stick up there, because you have Cas-”

 

“And that’s the end of our goodbye.”

 

“Whatever.” She gave him another hug, and a small kiss on the cheek, before dancing off to pester Castiel. Alfie was the next sibling to approach, and he stepped straight into his hug.

 

“Alf?”

 

“I’m going to miss your bad dad jokes so much.”

 

“I don’t make bad dad jokes.”

 

“You do, but it’s fine. We all laughed. And my work is going to notice I’m not bringing so many bacon double cheeseburgers home.”

 

“That’s a price I’m willing to pay. Besides, Cas knows this great place, I’ll bring you when you visit.”

 

“Deal,” Alfie agreed.

 

“And call me whenever you need. Any of you can, okay?”

 

Alfie gave him a squeeze, and then stepped back.

 

“It’s weird, saying goodbye again.”

 

“Yeah. Last time you were just a little kid.”

 

“And you were just down the road,” Alfie sighed. “But I get it.”

 

“Thanks, kid.”

 

“My turn, my turn!” Mary stepped between them, and jumped up at Dean, throwing her arms around his neck. He picked her up and held her close.

 

“Hello, miss Mary.”

 

“Dean, do you have to go?”

 

“I do.”

 

“But Castiel could move in here! He could sell his house and we could tell people that you’re not going to hell, because Castiel is really nice.”

 

“I wish that would work, Mary. But grown ups are sillier than kids.”

 

Mary nodded wisely, like she knew this to be inherently true. Dean brushed her long fine brown hair back from her face, and she gave him a single-dimpled smile. He just looked at her, taking in her elfin features.

 

“What? What is it?”

 

“I’m trying to remember what you look like. Because when I see you in a couple of weeks, or a month, or whatever it is, you’re going to be at least fifteen.”

 

“Dean,” she giggled. “I’ll still be a little girl.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Promise.”

 

Dean held out his pinkie and she caught it with hers, and they shook on it. And then he kissed her forehead, breathing in her sweet scent, and set her down, before he approached his mother, whose eyes were red and lips were pursed. He felt bad, for making her cry.

 

“Mom?”

 

“It won’t be long until we see you, will it?”

 

“No. We’ll fit my stuff in, get settled, and then you can come bring the zoo.”

 

She nodded, and pursed her lips tighter, looking upwards.

 

“It’ll be okay Mom. Sam and Eileen are going to help. And Charlie, and Adam, and Mr Ketch.”

 

She sniffed, and swiped at her nose with her tissue.

 

“You know, Dean, I’m not sad about losing the help. I’m going to miss you. My baby boy. It’s been us as a team for so long.” The first tears began to fall, and she swiped furiously at her eyes. “I’m not ready to do this again.”

 

“I’m not that far, Mom. And I’ll be with Cas.” His voice had softened.

 

“I like Castiel.” She nodded. “And that’s the only reason I’m going to cope with saying goodbye.”

 

Dean put his arms around her and snuggled down like he had as a little boy, feeling her fingers brush through the hair at the back of his head as she fully dissolved into tears. He felt the pull in his chest that told him not to leave, to stop her being so upset, but he couldn’t do that now.

 

He felt another pair of arms circling his back, and long hair tickling his cheek. Sam was hugging the both of them. More arms and torsos got involved, and soon the entire family were standing there hugging each other. Even Eileen. Even Castiel. They stood for ages like that, hugging each other tightly, each of them waiting for someone else to break away. And then they started peeling off, and Dean was freed. He stepped back from his mother, and then climbed into his car, Castiel sliding into the passenger seat at the same time. He took a moment to look at his family through the windscreen before starting the car and putting it into reverse. Castiel waved as Dean checked the road was clear, and he waved before they pulled away.

 

Castiel didn’t speak for a while, not until they were halfway around Kansas City.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

 

“It was nice of everyone to say goodbye.”

 

Dean nodded.

 

“If you want me to drive, just say.”

 

Dean snorted a laugh at that.

 

“Nope. I love you, but I don’t love you that much.”

 

“Thanks!”

 

“Driving Baby requires a level of trust that we haven’t yet reached.”

 

“Uh-huh. Has anyone reached that level of trust?”

 

“Sam.”

 

“Did I see you saying goodbye to Sam?”

 

“No, it’s cool. He knows me well enough, I know him. And we had our emotional goodbyes when we used to live together. Besides, he told me at breakfast that he’s coming up with Eileen next weekend.”

 

“Ah. Okay.” Castiel reached forward to put the radio on.

 

“Hey, don’t do that. First of all because driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole. And second because … you know, we can talk.”

 

“We can?”

 

“Yeah. Just not about … let’s talk about something happy.”

 

“Okay. Um … so Emmanuel thinks he knows the perfect part of the island to put your garage. It’s not far from our houses and the rest of the island can access it, it’s not too far from the jetty. Want to check it out tomorrow?”

 

“Sure. Sounds good.”

 

“It’s already got a lot of equipment you might need, Dad left it all there when he bought the island and had us all move in. We can convert it easily.”

 

“We?”

 

“Yes. I thought … we’re a team.”

 

“We are. I’m just trying to imagine you covered in grease, working on a head gasket.”

 

“I could do your paperwork, work for my clients in the office.”

 

“There’s my Cas,” Dean laughed.

 

“I could be covered in grease if you want. After hours.”

 

“But Castiel, what’s anal?”

 

They both started laughing, and Dean urged the car on home.


	11. Chapter 11

The minivan and Sam’s old muscle car pulled into the drive, and Dean was ready to greet them, watching with a fond smile as his siblings piled out of the car, chattering and squabbling as they always did. Little Mary went flying across the tarmac and into her eldest brother’s arms.

 

“DEAN!” She shouted as he tossed her in the air easily, spinning her around at the bottom of the porch steps and listening to her innocent giggles. The others were slower, looking around at the part of the island that Dean and Castiel owned as Dean hugged his youngest sibling.

 

“Good to see you, Mary,” he grinned.

 

“I can’t believe you’re marrying Cas again!” She beamed, and looked at the man standing at the top of the porch, waving enthusiastically at him.

 

“We’re not getting married again. We’re just celebrating being married with our families.”

 

His mother stepped up to them, and gave him a small kiss on his cheek.

 

“You’re looking well, Dean. Maine agrees with you.”

 

He smiled warmly.

 

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool up here. So, um, Manny’s agreed to have some of you in his house, Cas and me don’t have the room for everyone. Is that cool?”

 

“I’m sure it’s fine.” His mother smiled. Alfie approached them as the others carried on looking around.

 

“Hey Dean, nice place,” he smiled, and waved at the man on the porch. “Hi Cas!”

 

Mary tapped Dean’s cheek, trying to get his attention.

 

“Dean, why is Castiel all the way up there?”

 

Dean turned around, and saw who his siblings were looking at. He looked back at Mary.

 

“I don’t see Cas.”

 

“Are you fighting?” Mary probed. “He’s right there. You should kiss him.”

 

“I’ll kiss Cas when I see him.”

 

“He’s on the porch!”

 

“So Mom,” Dean ignored the small girl in his arms. “I thought it was best if you, Mr Ketch, Mary and Ben were in Manny’s house. Cas and me will put the others up. It gives you some peace, makes it easier on Manny, and they’ll think they have some freedom.”

 

His mother nodded, as the rest of his siblings approached. A few of them waved at the man on the porch, who Dean finally turned and addressed.

 

“Do you want to take them over now?”

 

The man nodded, and gestured to the house next door. Dean passed Mary to his mother.

 

“That’s Manny’s house. We’ll catch up in a minute, when everyone’s stuff is in.”

 

His mother kissed his cheek and followed the path to Manny’s house, and Dean let his siblings into his place.

 

“Wow, your house is huge!” Alfie said appreciatively.

 

“Thanks. Cas’ dad is pretty well off, he bought this whole island, gave the houses to Cas, Manny, Gabe and a few of their cousins. Cas made sure it was stocked up with a bunch of stuff to stay entertained, especially if it’s too dangerous to get a boat over to the main land. Okay, so,” he led the way upstairs. “Sam and Ellen, same bedroom as before. Alf, Ads, you’re sharing. Charlie and Claire, you are too. Don’t kill each other while you’re here, please.”

 

“No promises,” Claire called from the back. Dean shook his head, and Adam started up.

 

“So, is there trouble in paradise already?”

 

“Um, no, because you guys are here for this ceremony thing?” Dean reminded him. “You know, me and my husband, being disgustingly mushy in front of everyone we’re related to?”

 

“And yet, you weren’t disgustingly mushy when we got here.” Charlie pointed out.

 

“Right. Because Cas wasn’t there?”

 

“Yes he was!” Claire called. Dean rolled his eyes, and pointed to the first room he came to.

 

“Alf, Adz, you’re in here.” They filed in, and Dean slapped the next doorframe along. “Girls.”

 

They went into their room too, squabbling straight away over who got which bed, and Sam smirked at Dean, signing to him. _They don’t know Cas has a twin?_

 

Dean signed back.

_No, and this is hilarious, don’t ruin it._

 

Sam rolled his eyes, and Eileen winked as they filed into their room, putting their belongings inside. Dean headed downstairs, and put the coffee pot on, just as the front door opened and Castiel walked in.

 

“Hey,” He smiled, and headed straight into Dean’s arms. “They’re all here?”

 

“Mm-hmm,” Dean nodded, and bent forward to kiss his husband. They shared a few happy moments together before Dean’s brothers and sisters returned from the bedrooms.

 

“So, you made up?” Charlie observed. Castiel pulled away and gave Dean one confused glance before looking over his shoulder at Charlie.

 

“Were we fighting?”

 

Dean fought the urge to laugh, glad that his back was to his siblings. Castiel glanced at him again and there was a wave of understanding in his eyes, even as Dean’s family - their family - tried to work out whether or not they needed to explain to Castiel their interactions of a mere five minutes ago. Castiel addressed Dean instead.

 

“Really?”

 

“Well, you won’t.”

 

Castiel sighed, and kissed Dean again, but made no more mention of the issue.

 

“I liked it better when they weren’t joined at the mouth,” Adam muttered. Dean laughed, and Castiel looked amused.

 

“So, before we met?”

 

“Ten minutes ago.”

 

Castiel nodded, and refocused on Dean.

 

“It’s about as ready as it’s going to be.”

 

“Cool, I’ll come look later.”

 

“Nope,” Castiel grinned. “It’s my surprise for you. Dad’s looking forward to seeing your reaction when you walk in there tomorrow.”

 

Dean groaned, and rested his forehead against Castiel’s as the rest of Dean’s family came through the door.

 

“Castiel? You just said goodbye to us, how are you here already?” Ben demanded. Dean fought his smirk as Castiel leaned away from him.

 

“I haven’t seen you yet, Ben. How are you?”

 

Sam snorted with laughter and walked out of the room, Eileen not far behind him.

 

“I feel like I’m missing the joke,” Dean’s mother said drily. Dean looked at her, trying his best to look innocent.

 

“I think it’s just crossed wires. So, do you guys want a tour of the island?”

 

 

Dean’s family had let loose on the strip of sand that made up the beach of Hope Island. Castiel and Dean remained at the back of the beach, sitting on the boulders of a rock pool and watching the kids who were playing with the ocean, some for the first time ever. They were soon joined by Gabriel, Emmanuel and Chuck, who had brought some drinks with them, splitting a case of beers and watching as Mary ran in and out of the sea with Alfie.

 

“So, these are all your brothers and sisters?” Chuck asked Dean as he snapped off their lids. Castiel accepted his bottle and felt grateful that it was ice cold - the day had been warm, and the cold beer was going to be refreshing.

 

“That I know of, yeah. Mary’s seven, so I think she’s definitely the youngest, but there might have been more than us.”

 

Chuck nodded, and sipped his own drink nervously.

 

“Don’t worry about it, Chuck, they’re all good kids. Claire might test you a little, but the rest of them are pretty easy going. And they’re on their best behavior.”

 

“Except Claire,” Castiel added. They shared a smile as someone shrieked from the edge of the surf. They looked over as Charlie came running, sand flying as she kicked it up.

 

“Are you shitting me?!”

 

“Everything okay, Charlie?” Dean asked innocently.

 

“Which one is he?” Charlie demanded, glowering at Emmanuel. “You never said Castiel had a twin brother.”

 

“I didn’t?” Dean asked innocently, and Gabriel gestured for a high five.

 

“See, Dean gets it. Twindom means you mess with other people. Having a double is wasted on you two.”

 

Dean gave him the high five, but continued watching his half-sister.

 

“I don’t know what you mean.”

 

“Can you tell them apart? Did we see not-Castiel earlier? Have you accidentally kissed him?”

 

Castiel traded a glance with Emmanuel, trying to think back to his previous interactions with his in-laws. He was sure they had mentioned Emmanuel. How could he not discuss a huge part of himself? He only remembered that first moment he met Mary and Ben, after Sam brought him from the airport when Sam had joked that he’d picked up the wrong brother. Sam definitely knew and had spent time with Manny before, and possibly the youngest two kids were also aware. Emmanuel seemed to realize what Castiel was thinking, and offered up a sympathetic smile, as Castiel felt his stomach churning. He knew it was a bi-product of being so connected with Emmanuel, who must have felt overwhelmed with so many people around.

 

“I can tell them apart,” Dean nodded casually. “Maybe you did, maybe you didn’t, who knows? And no, I wouldn’t kiss Manny. No offense, Manny.” Dean nodded in their direction.

 

“Okay, so how do you tell them apart?” Adam interrupted their conversation as the rest of the Winchesters gathered around to meet Castiel’s family. Dean ignored the question.

 

“Right, so, this is Chuck, Cas’ dad, Gabriel his older brother and Manny, his twin. Guys, this is my mom, Adam, Alfie, Mary, Claire, Charlie, Eileen, Sam, and Ben. My brothers and sisters, and brother’s girlfriend. I don’t expect you guys to remember that.”

 

There were a few muttered hellos before Dean’s siblings went back to their fascination with Castiel and Emmanuel.

 

“So who’s older? Ben asked.

 

“Cas, by four minutes,” Manny answered.

 

“Do you have twin telepathy?” Alfie wanted to know. Castiel and Manny exchanged another look as the barrage continued.

 

“Do you mess with Dean a lot?”

 

“I would. Hey, did you tell your school you were really one person so you could both skip out whenever you wanted?”

 

“Do you finish each other’s sentences?”

 

“Has Manny come to see us before and we never knew?”

 

“Why didn’t you tell us you had a twin?!”

 

“Guys, stop!” Dean gestured at them all. “Geez, don’t get into the police force, you’d have criminals crying.”

 

“They’re regular ball-busters.” Gabriel laughed.

 

“You should have heard them just before we left Kansas last time,” Castiel sighed.

 

“So you’re Cas,” Mary pointed. “And that’s Manny?”

 

They nodded together.

 

“You should test whether Dean can tell you apart.” Claire smirked. “He might remarry the wrong guy tomorrow.”

 

“Not possible,” Dean interrupted. “They’re like night and day.”

 

“They’re identical!”

 

“Actually, they’re mirror twins,” Chuck interrupted quietly. “It’s not quite identical. If Emmanuel looked in the mirror, he would see Castiel and vice versa.”

 

“You know what?” Dean decided. “Let’s do it. Dress identically, have the same hairstyle. I’ll still know.”

 

Dean looked so confident despite the little time he had known Castiel, that it sparked an intrigue in his husband.

 

“Fine. Come on, Manny.”

 

Emmanuel didn’t argue, but went with Castiel along the pathway to their houses. Castiel could feel the relief seeping in as Manny left the confusing mass of Dean’s siblings’ emotions.

 

“Why did you agree?” Manny wanted to know.

 

“Dean seems very confident about this. He won’t do anything inappropriate, Manny, I won’t let it go that far.”

 

Emmanuel nodded slowly, and followed Castiel into his house, straight up to the bedroom. They looked in the wardrobe for something that Castiel had that came close to matching, and dressed. Castiel tried to flatten his hair down into Emmanuel’s neat style but it didn’t work well, so Emmanuel mussed his hair up in a good approximation of Castiel’s tousled locks. They looked at themselves in the mirror as Castiel tucked his wedding band into his pants pocket, and satisfied that there were no obvious difference between them, they returned to the strip of beach on the island. Dean had moved to the shoreline, his shoes off and jeans rolled up as the surf curled around his toes, but at a call from Gabriel he turned around and approached slowly, fighting a smirk. Everyone else held their breath as Dean looked between Castiel and Emmanuel while he approached. Castiel fought the urge to look at Emmanuel, tried not to make eye contact with Dean. He found himself looking directly at Dean’s mother, who was biting her lip at the test.

 

And Dean stepped closer to Emmanuel. Castiel saw him lift a hand to Emmanuel’s neck, bend forward and whisper something. He wondered if he should react; give it away before Dean made Emmanuel uncomfortable. But then Dean was on him, pulling him into a firm kiss, arms around his torso tightening with passion. Castiel didn’t give it a second thought as he kissed back with as much vigor, his fingers curling into the short bristles of Dean’s hair, their tongues finding their normal rhythm, taking away any possible doubt that Dean was wrong.

 

They finally separated, and Dean looked so pleased with himself.

 

“I thought you were going to make it hard for me?” He boasted. “Swapping the side you stand on isn’t enough.”

 

“We did my hair too,” Emmanuel pointed out.

 

“How did you know?” Castiel asked softly. “Really?”

 

Dean gave another cocky smirk.

 

“Later.”

 

 

In bed that night, Dean rolled close to Castiel, rubbing his bare side with a thumb. The house seemed quiet, all of Dean’s siblings in their assigned rooms or next door in Emmanuel’s house.

 

“You’re half an inch taller than Manny,” he whispered. “Your eyes are a tiny bit bluer. You always stand on the left, not the right. I saw you go to look to him and fight it, but he wasn’t the side he normally is. But none of that is how I knew it was you.”

 

“Hmmm? And how did you know? The tide mark on my finger from my ring?”

 

“Nope.” Dean edged even closer. “I could feel it. I looked at Manny and didn’t feel a thing. I looked at you and it was like being in Vegas all over again.”

 

“Are you being romantic right now?” Castiel teased him.

 

“Nope. Manny just doesn’t affect my dick.”

 

Castiel burst into laughter, breaking the stillness of the house, and he rolled over, onto Dean, straddling him and grinding down, smirking as he did.

 

“Well, what do you know,” he purred softly. “Someone’s there to meet me.”

 

He bent down and sought Dean’s mouth in the dark, his hand trailing down Dean’s body. Dean moaned softly, arching his back with the progress of Castiel’s hand, and Castiel began to lick along Dean’s neck, peppering the skin with little nips, his fingers finding Dean and closing around the base of his cock. Dean’s breath was catching in his throat, his body demanding more friction with Castiel, his fingers digging in to the mattress as Castiel worked his way between Dean’s legs, kneeling under his ass, still fondling Dean and trailing kisses down his body.

 

“What do you want, Dean?” Castiel whispered. “What do you want me to do?”

 

“Stick it in me, big boy,” Someone whispered from just outside the door. Castiel yelped, and threw himself down on the bed.

 

“GO AWAY, ADAM!” Dean yelled. There was raucous laughter from outside their room, and Castiel stuck his head under the pillow. Dean rubbed his back and made sure their sheets were covering them.

 

“Did that just happen?” Castiel moaned.

 

“‘Fraid so, Cas. They’ll be gone soon.”

 

“Oh Cas, you’re so big,” Claire giggled through the door.

 

“Right!” Dean climbed out of bed and pulled on Castiel’s sweats. “If anyone is in the hallway in the next five seconds, they’re not going to find your body in the morning. And Cas’ll be my alibi.”

 

He pulled the door open as his siblings dived into their rooms. The doors all slammed shut and Dean looked back at Castiel awkwardly. Castiel gave a sad little smile back.

 

“We’ll come back to it.”

 

Dean nodded, and returned to their bed. It was silent for a few moments, before Castiel spoke again.

 

“You’re right. They beat Gabriel.”

 

 

They returned to the beach in the morning, all of Dean’s family, and all of Castiel’s. There were rows of chairs halfway along the sand, an archway in front of the chairs. Dean and Castiel stood there, as the priest - a family friend that Chuck had called a favor in from - talked about blessing their unity and commitment and a whole host of other ideologies that Castiel knew they both felt strongly, but perhaps wouldn’t discuss. They kissed when asked, and ignored the whoops and catcalls from Dean’s siblings, before heading up to the community building where they were going to celebrate. There were embarrassing speeches and good food, and then dancing. At one point, Castiel found himself dancing with Mary, his mother-in-law.

 

“I have to say,” she mused, “Dean seems very at home here. You put him at ease.”

 

“I hope so.”

 

She smiled warmly.

 

“It’s a nice place you have. And a nice life. And it means a lot to the kids that Dean’s promised to stay in contact.”

 

“He misses them you know. Even if they drive him crazy.”

 

Mary curled closer, her head resting on Castiel’s shoulder.

 

“I know. But it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be. And Dean is happy, that’s what counts. And I’m getting a lot of help from Arthur. Mr Ketch,” Mary clarified before Castiel could ask.

 

“How’s that going?”

 

They both looked across the room, where Mr Ketch was dancing with the younger Mary, her feet propped on hers.

 

“Really well. And things are going well with you and Dean?”

 

“Yeah, they’re going amazingly well. His garage is up and running, I work from there sometimes. Thanks for letting him go.”

 

“Have you seen the way my son looks at you? There was nowhere else Dean was meant to be.”

 

They both looked across at Dean, who had convinced Emmanuel to dance with him somehow, both of them shuffling slightly and talking quietly. Dean’s gaze was on his husband, and he didn’t look away as Castiel gazed back. There was so much love and lust and heat in Dean’s gaze, and Castiel felt that pull he always did, to go and be with his husband. Mary chuckled.

 

“Go on, I think your husband is with the wrong twin.”

 

Castiel brought Mary across the floor with him, and passed her to Emmanuel, grasping on to Dean himself.

 

“You have beautiful green eyes, and long thick eye lashes, and freckles like confectioners sugar and those lips … oh, those lips!” Castiel murmured. Dean chuckled.

 

“I get it, you like my mouth.” He had a teasing tone; one that Castiel decided had been there the first time too.

 

“I’m sorry. Have you seen you?” Castiel shot back.

 

“Have you seen you?” Dean raised an eyebrow.

 

“Actually, yes.” Castiel nodded over to Emmanuel and Mary Senior. “Every single day.”

 

Dean laughed.

 

“Then you know what I’m talking about.” He kissed the spot by Castiel’s ear. “I love you, Cas.”

 

“I love you, Dean.”


End file.
